Wasteland to Wealth
by Invisible Staircase
Summary: AU: post apocalyptic.  The Clans of the World remained hidden underground until the appointed day.  Ready to reclaim the surface, Feliciano of Clan Italy and his allies embark on The Journey.
1. Chapter 1

**Introduction:**

Hello! Thanks for stopping in to read. Typically my notes will be at the end of each chapter, but I thought I'd take the time to introduce this fic properly.

This is fic is VERY **AU**. It's a post apocalyptic world where the countries don't exist as such, but rather live as 'clans'. So, Clan Italy, Clan Japan, etc etc. If you're familiar with the Fallout series of games, this is somewhat similar (but not exact, it's just an easy 'cheat sheet' for what the world is like). I'm not taking the plot from the games or anything (not precisely). Human names will primarily be used, but not exclusively.

I have NO clue if there will be actual pairings in this fic or not yet, so time (and comments in reviews!) will likely tell. Anyhow, hope you enjoy!

* * *

He really should have been worried. If he'd had a sensible bone in his body, a shred of common sense in that head of his, he would have been full on panicking. It would have been completely justified, to panic over this. However, as the youth finished chewing and took another blissful swallow of his food, worry and panic were far far from his mind. Even the fact that he was eating pasta, his clan's traditional food so rarely ever served, was a massive warning.

Pasta was only served on the most important of occasions, to the most deserving of individuals. Resources were far too scarce in their underground sanctuary, such luxuries as this had been rationed out carefully over the years. To dine on pasta… it should have set bells off in his mind. He'd never been given pasta before, and though his mind was dimly aware that he never wanted to eat anything else ever again, it failed to grasp just how important this day was.

No, as he twined some more pasta onto his fork, eyes closed in sheer happiness, Feliciano Vargas was anything but concerned about his imminent future.

"You should be sending somebody else damn it! What the hell are you all thinking huh? You idiots! Bastards!"

Ah, even in his pasta heaven haze, Feliciano recognized that voice, how could he not? It was the voice of his twin, Lovino of course. Feliciano couldn't quite figure out what exactly had set his twin off today, but it wasn't exactly a rare occurrence. Lovino was temperamental, to put it lightly, and he didn't seem to care just who it was in the clan, he was always ready and willing to mouth off at others.

Feliciano let out a tiny little 've' before returning to the eating of his pasta. He was alone in the dining hall, having been told to come down for a special meal. The dining hall was truthfully pretty tiny, but such was the way of all of the rooms in their sanctuary. You couldn't expect spacious halls and corridors in what was, essentially, an underground bunker. While those of Clan Italy had certainly turned their refuge into a work of art, you could see by the way pipes were breaking and leaking, at the way generators and machines were beginning to rust and fail, that they'd not been the most prudent of people when planning to wait out the apocalypse. One look would tell you that painting and decorating their new home had meant more to them then setting out to responsibly ration out resources.

Oh they'd sobered up quickly, it wasn't as though they weren't a strong people. They weren't nearly as foolish some of the other clans thought either. So while yes, perhaps they'd had a bad start of it all, the clan had survived thus far, hadn't succumbed like so many other clans had. Clan Italy was still alive… and they'd made it. They'd made it to the appointed day. The day where, according to the calculations made before the global disaster, it would be safe to send people back up to the surface. The day where they would send up their representative… who would unite with their allies and make _The Journey_.

Yes, today was THE day, and Feliciano was THE representative… even if his head didn't seem to realize this.

"Ah, but Lovino, you know he's the one most suitable…"

"Don't make me laugh! You all just picked him because you know he can't do anything down here!"

Perhaps if Feliciano wasn't so busy eating his pasta, he might have taken great offense at this. Even if, well, it was sort of true. He pretty much was a failure at all of the jobs they'd given to him in his young life. He was terrible at trying to repair the generators that gave their underground home fuel and fresh air, he wasn't fit to teach or provide any sort of medical services, and he wasn't allowed in the kitchens because he always complained about the terrible ration food that they had to eat. The best he could do was clean, and many a lonely day had passed with him, a push broom, and an apron.

"But he has the power! He has _The Quality_, so it must be him. He was tested, it was confirmed!"

There was some rather colorful swearing from his twin in their Clan's native Italian, rather than the muddy global tongue, and it caused Feliciano to raise his eyebrows slightly. It was actually beginning to dawn on him that maybe something was going on today.

You would have thought the travel backpack filled to bursting and situated at his feet would have clued him in.

Metal doors slid open with a loud hiss and plumes of protesting steam, the clan elder striding in with a very angry Lovino at his side. His brother was still grumbling away, but the aged elder with his perpetually crooked back paid him no mind. He only approached Feliciano with a fatherly smile, looking to the virtually empty pasta plate.

"Have you had your fill, Feliciano?" His voice was kind, almost warm, and you could tell that even if Feliciano was pretty useless, he was still well loved.

"I could eat pasta all day~" He crooned out happily, a bright and cheerful smile on his face, optimism and joy radiating off of him easily, naturally, and _genuinely_. Feliciano was like a small ray of sunshine for those of the clan, a shining presence that, yes, was high maintenance, but was wonderfully cheerful even though times were unrelentingly tough. His optimism, naivety, hell, even the paintings he did so infrequently were sure to bring a smile to your face. He was the odd man out in their refuge of rusting steel and riveted plates. The odd man out, but a jewel all the same.

"I'm pleased, Feliciano… I'm very happy your last meal with us was to your liking."

"Yeah!" Feliciano chirped out, before his brows pulled together, a deep closed eye frown stealing over his face. "Ve~? Last?" Well, at least he had the sense to be concerned over, quite possibly, never eating again. The elder cleared his throat, and Lovino crossed his arms in agitation.

"We told you this Feliciano… remember? Today… today you go to the surface. You're meeting our allies, Clan Germany and Clan Japan… and with them you're going on _The Journey_…"

"Eeehhhhh?!" The youth with the auburn hair startled out of his seat, pasta dish clattering about on the table and fork hitting the floor as he started to panic. You could all but see the tears beginning to collect at the corners of his closed eyes, a trembling going through his body. "Leaving? But but it's not s-safe up there! W-why am I being sent up there? I'll be good I promise please don't make meeee!" He was about to rush forward and cling to the elder when the man cleared his throat, shaking his head.

"Feliciano! We have discussed this…"

"But but… Lovinoooo?" He turned to look to his brother for help, and the other let out a snort of annoyance.

"I did what I could… see this is why I told you to let me cheat your test results!"

The elder shot the marginally older Vargas a glance, but there was nothing for it. More members of the clan were entering the dining hall, in a 'hey we're here to walk you to the exit' sort of manner. Feliciano wailed, and one of the stronger men ended up picking him up by the collar, like a stray cat. His cries of protest were met with deaf ears, and his backpack was carted right up behind him.

The massive doors that led to the exit chamber began to rumble and slide open at the elder's entering of the code, and the twins were given one last moment together. Feliciano actually clung to his brother, which inwardly pleased Lovino even if he made a giant fuss over what a hassle and a cry baby the other was. However, beneath the clinging and the complaining, the two were trying to comfort each other. There were tiny pets, miniscule caresses, and whispered words here and there of affection.

Never had the twins been parted, and they'd never thought it'd be over something like _this_! It was highly likely, so very likely, that Feliciano would fail… that he would never be returning. No one had seen the surface of the world in over a hundred years. All people had were old photographs, maps out of date, and computer files filled with instructions and data. Feliciano would be one of the very first people setting his eyes on the actual sky since the global disaster that'd sent all of humanity underground. It was an honor… but it was dangerous. Oh so dangerous.

What if things had survived up there? What in the world would they be like now?

Feliciano could only hope 'hungry for Italian' wasn't it.

"It is time, Feliciano… take your pack, and travel north… unless they have fallen over the years, the representatives of Germany and Japan will be waiting for you…"

Feliciano let his arms hug more tightly to his brother, burrowing his face into the warm neck of the other, sobbing and hiccupping in fear. Arms circled to hold him tightly, and for a minute the younger twin thought his brother might… just might… pipe up and offer to go with him. Instead the arms let go, and grumbling to hide his embarrassment over his cowardice, Lovino stepped away. He looked absolutely miserable, but not any more so than his all-but-banished twin. Feliciano could only stand in the exit chamber, alone, staring at his clan and his brother standing back in the sanctuary.

"We shall eagerly await your return, Feliciano Vargas! May _The Journey_ be a success for you… may you bring back to us the promised resources… bring back to us the strength to move to the surface once more! Bring to us the _Key to the Surface!_"

There was a supporting cry from the rest of the clan gathered behind the elder, and though it was meant to be encouraging it only served to hammer in the nails of despair. One last pleading look was sent to Lovino, who actually took a guilty step forward, before he was dragged back into the crowd. More than likely… should Feliciano seem to fail, his twin would be offered up as a substitute later.

The giant metal doors began to slide shut, and were his feet not suddenly made of lead, Feliciano would have sprinted to get back inside. Instead he quivered and shook and wailed and cried out various pleas to be let back in. He was only met with encouraging waves until the door shut, heavy grinding noises and high pitched scratching giving him an answer. The door to the sanctuary of Clan Italy sealed shut, and with much trepidation Feliciano turned to face the true exit door. It shuddered and groaned, and with a squeak Feliciano dropped to his knees, trying to hide from the outside world behind his backpack.

A great plume of dirt and dust rushed in, along with a breeze that smelled like nothing Feliciano had ever experienced before. He coughed roughly, covering his nose and mouth and believing he was about to die. The air… what if it still wasn't safe? He held his breath in a panic, eyes screwed tightly shut as the sounds of the door opening died away. There was a hollow rushing sound in his ears now, the music of the wind rushing over the wastelands. It wasn't until his lungs were burning did he open his eyes as he brought in a gasping breath. He waited one second… two… three. There was no burning in his lungs, and aside from a quick couple of sneezes, it didn't seem as though he was about to die.

Rising up on his knees, yet still behind his backpack, Feliciano opened his eyes and stared out at the world beyond. His lips parted slightly, and the vast unending sky cut off his thoughts and his breath. He gazed out in utter and absolute awe at the sight before him. The pictures… the pictures couldn't do this justice. The pictures… they couldn't even compare to the real thing.

"Ve~…" Distracted from his fear temporarily, Feliciano finally picked up his backpack, dragging it at his side as he cautiously made his way out, taking his first steps ever out onto rock and earth and stone. He looked at his feet when he heard the crunching sounds they made on this new substance, and he crouched down to poke at it and pick up a few stones, giving them experimental tosses out into the wasteland. The sun was high in the sky, noontime it seemed, and though the air was warm the wind was cold.

Flecks of dirt kept flying up to meet his eyes, a new experience for one raised in an environment of recycled and sterilized air. He brought his hands up to rub at the way it stung his eyes, letting out a small unhappy whine before casting a glance down at his pack. Sure enough, there was a pair of goggles there, and he wasted no time in pulling them from the pack and onto his face. Blinking behind the protective plastic lenses, he let out a sigh, looking around at the outside world again.

It was so noisy with the sound of the wind, yet it felt silent and empty and horrifically quiet as well. For a social person like Feliciano, it was as if he'd just become deaf. He turned, wanting to rush in and pound on the inner doors, only to see the outer door sliding shut, sealing Clan Italy away from the world again. Away from _him_. He couldn't help but, predictably, slink to his knees and hug to the backpack.

"Whaa… I don't want to be up here… somebody help me! Save meee~!"

Sadly, no one would be coming for him.

After much sniveling and sniffing and whining and crying, the Vargas boy finally rose to his feet, hitching his backpack up onto his shoulders. He stared dismally out into the distance, before pulling a compass out of the pockets of the uniform he was wearing. Maybe THAT should have tipped him off this morning as well, that a uniform had been set out for him to wear, not his normal clothes. The blue pants and jacket were worn over a black shirt and even a tie, though it was out of place on the survival uniform. Ah well… fashion be damned, Feliciano was more worried that he wasn't going to be around much longer.

Dejected feet carried him north, and every falling stone and broken twig made him jump and tremble violently as he made his silent way onward. Mostly the terrain was made up of mountains of dirt and rocks, a tenacious shrub or weed fighting its way from the earth here and there. Also sparsely scattered about, he spied what looked like the remains of old pipes and steel girders. The ruins of buildings fallen long ago, their skeletons and husks scattered about the earth as if they'd been as flimsy as paper. It was a sobering sight that seemed to sap just a bit of the Italian's strength to keep walking minute by minute.

Still… Feliciano continued to walk on… because really… what else could he do? At least if he kept going north (and his compass thankfully kept him on the right path), there was a chance of meeting people. Other representatives just like him, tossed out into the surface world and… and… and…

What was _The Journey_ again? The Italian youth couldn't rightfully remember, not having paid any attention in school or, obviously, when he'd been informed he'd be going on this quest. Perhaps his clan really was doomed.

It was starting to get very dark, and very cold, before Feliciano finally saw it. In the distance he saw what looked like tents, and standing proudly at those tents, blowing and swaying in the chill winds, were two flags. One sported bold horizontal bars of black, red and gold, the other a stark white canvas with a round red circle at the center. The youth perked up immediately, for he knew those flags… they were the flags of his allies! His heart took a leap of joy, and his feet began to race forward, hurtling him over rocks and debris towards the camp site. He was nearly there when suddenly a gruff voice called out at him.

"Halt! Stop where you are and identify yourself!"

Feliciano nearly fell on his rear in his haste to stop, staring with fearfully shut eyes at the barrel of a gun pointed right at him. He trembled and let out whimpers, scuttling backwards.

"I said halt!" The deep booming voice commanded again, filled with authority and deadly warning. Feliciano didn't even have the presence of mind to look to the left of the man with the gun (hell, he couldn't really even see anything but the long rifle right now!), but if he had he would have seen a dark haired man edging slightly closer, hand held to a sword at his side.

Feliciano flipped, scrambling at his pack and swiftly pulling out a flag. With wild desperation he started to wave it frantically back and forth in front of him. If only it'd been the Italian flag with its vertical bars of green, white and red, he might have soothed the situation sooner. Instead, before his face he waved a flag of pure white, small and entirely of his own making. "Don't shoot don't shoot! I don't want to diiiieee… please please don't shoot me! I h-have relatives in your Clan! I can't die yet I'm a virgin!" His wails were met with a frustrated growl, but at the very least the gun didn't fire. Yet again, the deep authoritative voice barked out to his ears.

"Identify yourself then!"

"W-Whaaa! I'm… I'm Feliciano Vargas! I-I'm f-f-from C-Clan Italy!" He shivered and waved his flag just that much faster.

"Show us your colors!" The voice demanded, and Feliciano dropped his white flag to dig into his pack. Sure enough, folded inside, was his Clan's flag. He held it up swiftly, as if it were a shield he could hide behind. His knees wobbled as he waited for a response, his mind knowing full well cloth wouldn't stop bullets. He heard a clicking sound from the gun, and he let out a high pitched wail of despair. This was it… he was dead now… dead dead dead!

"We thought you weren't going to make it… come inside the camp."

"E-Eh?" Feliciano peeked over his flag, staring in awe. The man had lowered the gun, watching him for a moment before retreating back towards the camp fire. He hesitated for a moment longer before letting out a happy breath of air, quickly grabbing up his pack and trotting into the camp. The man with the gun motioned at a makeshift pole that'd been driven into the ground, and Feliciano was actually bright enough to figure out the request on this one. Carefully he set up his own flag, smiling in delight at the triangle the three banners of cloth created. It might have just been the fire… and no longer having a gun pointed at him, but he was feeling happier already.

He moved and took a seat on a rock near the fire, noticing that both the other men had already done the same. Feliciano took a moment to go ahead and take in their appearances.

The one who'd held the gun was a giant of a man (in Feliciano's eyes at any rate), tall and muscular and broad of shoulder. His face was severe, with pale skin and sharp blue eyes. Pale blond hair was cut short and slicked back on his head, all serious and ordered. He wore a blue-grey survival uniform as well, fitted perfectly and adorned with severe embellishments. He radiated an aura of business, of efficiency, yet there was something decidedly ruthless lurking inside, restrained by discipline yet there all the same.

The other man, the one with the strangely thin and curved blade, held almost no expression to his face, practiced and polite neutrality washing over his face and dark eyes. He had black hair, clipped short though longer than the blonde's. His survival uniform was white, a strange color to have out where it was so dirty, but Feliciano got the feeling that somehow the other man would manage to stay miraculously pristine. He was shorter than Felciano… yet he had a subtle strength that seemed purposely hidden away.

All in all, the youth from Clan Italy thought they seemed far more suited for this task than he was. "So…" he chanced, drawing their attention. "Uh… what are your names?" He tried to will his sunny personality back, giving them both a dreamy smile.

"I'm Ludwig, of Clan Germany," the blond answered succinctly.

"I am Honda Kiku, of Clan Japan. It is an honor to meet you, Vargas-san."

"Ve~?" Feliciano tilted his head to the side in confusion. "San?"

There was, _possibly_, a flash of discomfort on the face of the Japanese one, but it was carefully masked to an apology. "Ah, yes it is a sign of respect… an honorific…"

"Ooooh… you don't have to use that with me! Just call me Feliciano ve~!"

"Ah… of… of course… Feliciano… san…" The reluctance to comply was palpable, not that the Italian seemed to pick up on it. The blond, Ludwig, cleared his throat, fixing his gaze on the youth with the strange curl in his hair. Feliciano looked back with mild curiosity and not a lick of understanding.

"So… what is it?"

"Eh?"

"The power of Clan Italy, it would be best for us to understand what each of us contributes right away, so we can best plan for _The Journey_."

Feliciano furrowed his brows, mouth twisting down in utter confusion. Hadn't the elder been saying something about… something… special… or… something? He gave a confused little whine, almost just a befuddled puff of air, ignorance bubbling off of him and popping in the German's face. The blond and the black haired man turned to cast worried looks to each other. They hadn't been traveling together long, having only united the day before, but already they'd found each other to be trustworthy and capable. Was the third member of their party going to be the exception?

The representative of Clan Germany turned where he sat, facing the Italian representative more in full. His face looked very serious, but it was also clear he was trying to be patient. "When you were selected… what was _The Quality_ that they said you had?"

Feliciano lifted his head, looking skywards, before giving a happy little shrug. "No clue! Do I have to have one?"

"W-Well…" Again Germany and Japan shared glances. "Yes."

"O… oh… oh! Maybe if you tell me yours, then I'll know mine?" Ludwig nodded in response, sitting up straighter (if that was actually possible).

"I was born with an innate knowledge and skill with tactics and survival. I can keep a clear head in any situation to figure out a way out of it. I also have a higher tolerance to pain than the average individual."

"Woooooow~ Ludwig is so cool!"

The blond seemed momentarily flustered by that, but quickly cleared his throat, looking to Kiku. The dark haired man brought a graceful hand to his sword, eyes fixed with a smoldering intensity on Feliciano.

"My blade is able to slice through even metal when in my hands… and I… have some small skill in the production and crafting of machines…" There was heavy modesty being placed over the words, but Feliciano was still duly impressed.

"Kiku is soooo cool too!" He piped up, to the slight reddening of the other man's cheeks. There was an awkward silence before Ludwig found his voice again.

"So… Feliciano… has that helped you to realize your _Quality_?"

Tilting his head to the side, Feliciano thought long and hard, a taxing exercise for his brain indeed. A thoughtful hum radiated through his throat, one hand even coming up to hold onto his chin as he tried to think of some quality he possessed that would be helpful and wonderful and cool like Ludwig and Kiku. Sadly, no such thing seemed to spring to mind, and with a defeated sag of the shoulders, he shook his head.

"Nope… I don't have anything like that."

There was a pause, before Kiku very hesitantly spoke up again, hand covering his lips as if to shield the world from his potentially disrespectful statement.

"You are… certain you were the… right representative?"

"The elder said so…" Feliciano breathed out sadly. The conversation died once again, only the sounds of the crackling fire and the surrounding winds breaking the silence. Ludwig gave a slap to his thigh, however, snapping them all out of their less than optimistic thoughts.

"Well, the elder must have had a good reason to hide _The Quality_, but that doesn't mean you don't have one! We'll still press on, and if I must train you until your talent shines through I will!"

Kiku gave a resolute nod, where Feliciano, in all his happiness, let out a shout of joy and tossed himself at Ludwig, all but knocking the man over with a hug. As the blond struggled to push him off and away, all Feliciano could think was how happy he was that he wasn't being thrown away immediately as useless. Even when he was pushed back to his own seat, the happy smile didn't leave his face.

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**Author's Notes:**

And there we have it, chapter 1 done. I don't honestly know how many people will be interested in a story like this, with its decided lack of history and such, but I'm havin' a ball writing it so that's all that matters I suppose!

For those wondering, we shall most certainly be seeing more of the 'world' in later chapters. America, England, France, China and Russia shall show up soon enough, and Canada, the awesome of Prussia, the return of Romano and the appearance of Spain shall also follow. Otherwise… eh, possibly Poland, Lithuania, Austria and Hungary.

Updates will happen as quickly as I can get to them, but don't expect a chapter every day, not even close! Reviews help keep my enthusiasm for writing up.


	2. Chapter 2

"Come on, move it!"

"Uwaaah… I'm tiiiired!"

"I said move!"

It seemed that when Ludwig had said he'd train Feliciano until his talents came through, he had NOT been kidding. After spending the entire morning traveling, their 'rest' at midday had been anything but. Despite the wild protests of the Italian clansman, Ludwig had declared that every moment was vital, and that after a short rest and meal, training was to begin. It didn't matter how much the Italian had said he was going to be too exhausted to keep traveling after. The muscular blond had stated there would be training, and that, well… was that.

Currently, they were running small laps beneath the shade of a fallen highway overpass. Even having traveled all morning, Ludwig looked as though he wouldn't be breaking a sweat any time soon. Poor Feliciano, however, looked as though his arms and legs were ready to drop right off his exhausted body. He panted and wheezed as he ran with the blond right on his heels, the clansman of Japan not subjected to this training. No, Kiku was on guard, watching the wastelands cautiously, ever vigilant.

"Straighten up Vargas!" Ludwig called out again, apparently choosing to use the Italian's surname during their training activities. Feliciano gave a small whimper, and inwardly thought that maybe he would have preferred it if he'd simply been deemed useless and beyond help. Never, absolutely never in his life had he been subjected to such rigorous physical training, and his muscles had already been groaning from their trek over the rocky wastelands this morning.

You didn't even want to know what Feliciano thought about the ungodly hour the German had forced him awake.

"Don't we… don't we need to get back to traveling?" He pleaded, thinking that walking had to be better than lap running. Ludwig was about to answer back, no doubt nothing Feliciano would have wanted to hear, when Kiku was suddenly at their side, a warning motion calling the training to silence and stillness. His warning was nearly silent, but their lookout's stance spoke clearly all the same.

"Quickly," Ludwig rasped, pulling Feliciano with him as they moved to duck out of sight, tucking into the deep shadows of the overpass. Crouching and cowering in the dark under the ruined concrete, Feliciano stared with trepidation out and about; trying to find whatever it was that'd concerned the dark haired representative. Said representative made only the smallest of gestures, and both the German and Italian followed with their eyes. Though Ludwig was marginally faster at spotting the danger, it didn't take Feliciano more than a breath longer to sight it.

His mouth dropped open to gasp (or quite possibly scream), and a hand was quickly clamped over it. In the distance, yet steadily stalking over ruined asphalt and stone, was a creature none of them had ever set eyes upon before. There were no records of such a creature, for no doubt this mutation was a haunting result of the global disaster. The distance was a blessing (they would perhaps learn all too soon), for it masked the details of the beast, kept the putrid form from being too distinct in their eyes just yet.

Still… if one could skin an alligator, and cross it with a roach, you'd quite possibly find this to be that offspring. Low to the ground yet skittering quickly, the long mouthed and carapace laden mutation seemed to be stalking them. Every so often it would pause, lifting a snout to the wind, adjusting its path to greater accuracy. It was fortunate that the Japanese clansman had retained the presence of mind to haul their belongings up to hide in the shadows, yet at the same time it was futile.

The closer it came, the clearer it was that this monster had no eyes. It was tracking their scent; it would be on them for certain.

Ludwig brought his rifle to his hands, carefully checking it over while never letting his attention waver from the threat for long. Kiku had his hand on his sword, ready and focused. Ludwig flicked his eyes to Feliciano in half second intervals.

"Are you able to fight? Have you had training? Do you have a weapon?" The questions were mouthed more than whispered, in case the beast possessed keen hearing. Feliciano could only wring his hands miserably and shake his head no. No, no, and no. Thankfully the situation did not give the luxury of time for the other to complain or berate him over it. Instead the two apparently combat capable representatives exchanged glances, before they began to move. No one needed to tell Feliciano not to rush forward; it was the farthest thought from his mind.

Ludwig began to flank left, taking a wide angle to the gator-roach, maximizing his range for the rifle. Kiku took a much more linear approach, more direct. His sword was drawn, held low and ready and reflecting the bright light of the day. He had the creature's attention; he was no doubt the distraction, albeit a dangerous one. His feet crunched over ruined terrain with purpose and delicacy, each step a steady challenge to the fiend. 'Look at me, fear me, face me. I will not back down.'

The long maw opened wide, saliva dripping in putrid green-yellow webs as a rattling hiss escaped the enemy. A long sectioned tail swished back and forth, knocking over stone and plants as if they were tissue paper. From his hidden spot, Feliciano could feel his heart race. It was from fear, yes, but it was from deep worry as well. He'd spent all of one night with these two, yet here he was, fretting for their safety. Those more cynical may have thought he worried for them only so far as, well, they were his only protection out here. It was not the case, not at all. His heart was large, and his concern ran as deep for them as it would a childhood friend.

Still, as he watched with a parched throat and dust dry mouth, Feliciano couldn't ignore the strangely compelling voice whispering through his mind. _'Run… run away… flee… quickly. Take to the wind, escape while you can.'_ He shivered, something nostalgic about this insidious whisper, yet he refused it. Rejected it. He kept firmly rooted to the spot, watching the scene unfold.

The creature was indeed homing in on Kiku, body tucked low to the ground, rocks and piping scraping its underbelly. The thing didn't seem affected at all, no hints of weakness there. Dark flat eyes watched the apparently sightless monster, keeping to a direct approach yet not wanting to come into Ludwig's shot. The blond had taken a knee on a collapsed pile of bricks, the rifle leveled at the beast as the German sought to line up a shot.

Where, where on the toughened hide could a bullet penetrate? Where were the cracks in the armor?

A magnifying scope of some sort would have certainly helped, for the German could only rely upon his own naked eyes for this. With steadying breathes he examined the beast, the way it moved. He looked for any old scars, from past scuffles against who knew what else lurked out here. This creature posed as a predator to them, but perhaps it wasn't as far up the post apocalyptic food chain as it seemed. If this creature was of lowly rank, they couldn't afford to struggle over it. This was their first trial of the surface world, the first attempt of humanity to take it all back.

Ludwig stilled his breathing, and took his shot. The noise flooded through the air, echoing across the ruined landscape, bouncing about in the hollow beneath the overpass. Feliciano covered his ears, fearing his own heart had stopped when the gun let loose its fury. Regaining his senses he stared quickly at the creature, hoping for the best.

The results were passable, though short of success. From the way the creature fell over, sticky blood painting the rocks and rubble at its side, it was clear that the rifle was capable of penetrating its armored hide. However, the creature was thrashing and hissing wildly, already scrambling to right itself. The long tail crashed against the ground, horrid thuds of rage causing pebbles and dust to fly and scatter. It was wounded, but not dead. Hurt, yet nothing vital had apparently been pierced.

The drooling maw gnashed open and closed, body twisting to face Ludwig. With a shocking amount of speed the creature took off, making a beeline for the man who was already reloading for another shot. Feliciano brought his hands to his face, covering his eyes yet peeking through his fingers. A high pitched whine struggled out of his throat as he squirmed, screaming in his head. _'Run run run Ludwig run!'_ Oh god why wasn't the man running? With nerves of steel, the blond was readying another shot, staring down the sight of the rifle, never rising from his knee.

The beast zigzagged towards the gunman with rage inspired swiftness, mouth spreading high and wide, ready to lunge and snap. All distance closed, and one more shot went off.

The representative of Clan Italy would swear later that time must have stopped, or some other sort of miracle, for there was no way so many actions could occur at once.

The creature had lunged, actually jumped off the ground like a shark erupting from the water, intent on crushing Ludwig with teeth or body. Ludwig had pulled the trigger, his aim true as a bullet raced straight through the soft inner flesh of the beast's mouth, penetrating back to the most vital organ of the head. Still at the same time, a sword had raced through a deadly dancing arc, severing the front of the beast cleanly from the back.

After all those actions crashed together, time sped up once more, and Ludwig hit the ground beneath the lessened load of half a monster barreling into him. Everyone found time to breathe as the sense of danger evaporated from the area. Ludwig pushed the half-corpse off his body, groaning from where the fall had sandwiched him between flesh and rock. He quickly wiped at the traces of saliva and spittle that laced his uniform and skin. Was it poisonous? Was it corrosive? No doubt it was filled with bacteria his body wouldn't know how to fight.

"Feliciano-san, a first aid kit, quickly."

"R-Right!" The youth didn't think his hands had ever dug through anything so fast in his life as he raced to pull out the requested object. It was heavy but he didn't care, tripping and hopping and stumbling from his place of hiding to his companions. He fell and scraped his knee once, a simple skin burn beneath his pants rather than a full cut, before finally reaching Ludwig's side. "Here!" He said, a tone of frantic worry slipping out.

Ludwig had already removed the coat of his survival uniform, for it was saturated here and there with the monster's saliva and blood. He was reduced to the tank top he wore underneath for now. As Feliciano pulled open the kit, both Kiku and Ludwig instructed him what to pull out, what to fetch up to use. There was a disinfectant wet cloth to use for his skin, and Feliciano ripped open the sterile wrapping before handing it over.

"That powder, sprinkle it over any parts of my jacket that became wet, apply it in liberal amounts and leave it to sit while the liquid absorbs it."

"O-Ok Germany, I mean Ludwig!" It almost seemed as though Feliciano would salute, but instead his shaking hands were put to better use following orders. Though Kiku seemed to be supervising, his attention kept moving to the bisected creature, studying it and examining it as he cleaned the polluting fluids off his blade. His expression was unreadable, reserved yet judging on the inside. It wasn't until all of the first aid and clean up was done that the three reconvened beneath the overpass, leaving the corpse where it was in pieces for now. The meat did not seem edible or worth harvesting.

"Do you," Feliciano spoke up first. "Do you think there are more of those out here?"

"It seems very likely… probably…" Kiku ventured. Ludwig nodded.

"It's unlikely to find only one. I would have thought a creature that takes after a roach would be less likely to roam about during the day, but it seems we should be ready for anything." He took in Feliciano's worried expression, and with a cough set about lifting the other's spirits. It was not his strong suit, but he knew crushed morale this early would severely hinder their efforts. "Take heart, our weapons were certainly effective against it, with proper planning future encounters should pose no significant threat."

"B-But but what if there are more of them? Like a swarm?"

"Then we employ a strategy to single them out and even the odds." Ludwig's voice radiated unwavering confidence at the suggestion. He locked eyes with the other. "It is, after all, something I am well suited for. We can only be ambushed if we're foolish."

Feliciano's brows knit together in concern and worry for a while longer, as if his head wasn't quite willing to believe what the other had to say. Like the flip of a switch, though, suddenly he was smiling, not a care in the world. "Ok! I believe you!"

Ludwig actually smiled, nodding his head. "Good, right!" He looked for a moment as though he was about to send them back into more training, when he thought better of it. "We had better get moving, in case the blood of the creature attracts something… else."

Feliciano was on his feet in seconds.

"Ve~ I'm going to die… if I could only eat pasta one last time…" His voice was soft as a whisper as he collapsed down onto his side before the fire, body molding into the soft dirt of their new camp site. The flags were raised once more, tents assembled around their heat and cooking source, the sky a deep collection of stars. The auburn haired youth could barely keep his eyes open, not that he frequently held them very wide anyway. He'd pushed his goggles up just before his head had hit the dirt, and there were brown smudges about his face from wearing them that left him looking a bit like a raccoon in reverse.

They were all filthy, except for Kiku's uniform somehow, which still seemed amazingly white.

"We made excellent progress today," Ludwig replied, as if that were the proper answer to the previous statement. Kiku simply nodded, taking out a small kit to further clean his blade. It almost seemed as though Feliciano had already fallen asleep, for he remained silent and his breathing became slow and deep and even. Ludwig took no mind to that, pulling out supplies to start cooking a meal. All was silent amongst the trio until the porridge was served, when naps were finished, blades were cleaned, and stomach once more full.

Something seemed to be bothering the Italian clansman, if his slight fidgeting was any indication.

"Feliciano?" Ludwig ventured. The other raised his eyebrows, a perplexed expression settled peacefully on his face. Still, no words seemed to be forthcoming. "If there is something you wish to say, speak. We're allies, after all." The youth almost looked as though he would pout, though clearly he wished to do just as the other suggested.

"Feliciano-san," came Kiku's quiet voice. It was just another gentle prodding, and with a deep breath, Feliciano let it all out.

"What is _The Journey…_ how do you know where it is we're going? I don't understand any of this!"

There was a lengthier pause of silence than was comfortable, Ludwig and Kiku sharing doubtful glances again. Ludwig cleared his throat, but it was actually Kiku who spoke up.

"Feliciano-san… please forgive me for asking again… but you are your clan's true representative, correct? Did they not… prepare you?"

The youth with the defiant curl to his hair let out a sigh. "I am but… maybe I… didn't pay attention?" He gave a sheepish smile. "I didn't even pack my own things… it was all just sort of, taken care of for me. Ve…"

This seemed to catch Ludwig's attention. "Feliciano, may I look through your things?" An almost eager and hopeful nod of consent was given, and Ludwig very carefully began to unpack the provisions of the Italian. Though of course there were clothes and other 'generic' survival provisions, there was a small case with Clan Italy's emblem on it. There was a digital lock to it however, and Ludwig placed the case in Feliciano's hands. "If that's what I think it is, only you will know the password to open it."

"Veee… password… I wasn't told one…" His face scrunched into thought. Suddenly he brightened up tremendously and typed in five little letters. The screen turned green, flashing an ok, and the case opened up. "Yay!!! Ludwig I did it I did it! I figured it out! Did you see? Hey hey hey Kiku I got it to open!"

"Well done Feliciano-san," Kiku said with a mild smile on his face. Feliciano turned his now beaming face towards the German representative, who gave a firmly approving nod of the head, covering up a smile that tugged at his own lips. Fully encouraged, the Italian pulled open the box and started to look through the contents. There were maps and letters, documents and instructions. They were all in Italian of course, presumably meant for his eyes only. It was no longer common for the clan specific languages to be shared at this point.

With only a small amount of prompting, Feliciano set to reading. Some things went over his head, some things bored him too much to focus, but he thought he got the gist of things. "So… so… there's this place… and it's like a… like a…" He tilted his head to the side, trying to find the right words. "It's a giant reserve? Back up? Ummm… like a… emergency rations… place… thing?" He looked hopefully at the other two to confirm.

"I… suppose… you could say that… though it's much more complicated and… dangerous…" Kiku began, trying to find some simple words of his own to express the situation. He chanced a glance to Ludwig, who was looking at some of the maps the Italian representative had taken out. The blond noticed his gaze, and opened his mouth to explain.

"It's alright if you don't understand it yet, we have time. You just need to understand that we need to complete _The Journey_ if we want our clans to survive. It's the only way to reclaim the surface again."

Feliciano looked down at his information again, still working it into his mind, before nodding briskly. "Ve~ Ok, got it!" He… got it enough anyway. "Hey hey, so does that mean you two have boxes with stuff too?" The other two nodded, and the rest of the night before rest was spent comparing what they had, and discussing their route.

North… northwest… west… and north yet again. Three days they traveled, and those three days passed thankfully without any new monstrous mutations rearing their ugly heads. Daily Feliciano was still put through training, and although he seemed to lag and complain and suffer as much as the first day, it was obvious to see how quickly his body was taking to the efficient German instructions. Whereas he'd dragged his feet on their walk the first couple of days, he now seemed fully capable of running about like an exuberant child, fascinated and thrilled with every new thing he saw.

In fact, it was what he was currently doing.

"Hey hey hey, what do you think this was? It looks so weird veee~ Oh and this…" He seemed to hop and flit about the rubble, his eyes taking in everything with excitement from behind his goggles. He never strayed too terribly far from the other two, who looked on with the patience of parents, yet with mildly incredulous expressions as well. Feliciano was unlike anyone the two had ever met, and to see someone rush about so carefree in this wasteland was a wonder. It certainly kept the morale up for the trio.

Feliciano had just picked something up from a pile of rubble, something that vaguely resembled an antique blender, when the ground beneath his feet started to shift. With a startled yelp he tossed the blender in the air, the rusted appliance tumbling down the mound of rock and dirt as Feliciano was suddenly swallowed into the ground. His two companions rushed towards the sinkhole, but were forced to wait at the edge, calling his name until the shifting stopped.

"Feliciano!"

"Feliciano-san… are you ok?"

"Feliciano! Answer me! Feliciano! That's it…" Getting no response, Ludwig quickly set his pack down, reaching in to find some rope, determined to go down and find the other. He'd just started to uncoil it, eyes scanning for an anchor, when a whine and a familiar nonsensical noise came drifting up. "F-Feliciano?" The German cleared his throat, cautiously moving to peer over the edge with Kiku. It was terribly dark, but enough light filtered down to reveal the auburn haired youth, sitting in a messy sprawl on a concrete floor.

"I'm okaaaaay Ludwig… ow…"

"Are you able to stand?" Kiku inquired, squinting down, trying to discern just what the other had fallen into. Feliciano tried his feet, and though his rear hurt as did his hip, he managed to stand just fine. He flashed a smile up to his companions and started waving at them, dispelling the first wave of worry. Of course, as there was nothing he could use to climb up just yet, they weren't out of the water.

"Hold on, I'll secure the rope," quickly Ludwig went back to his original task, testing out various old pipes and stones as support for the rope before deciding on one. He trailed it over the side of the hole and down to Feliciano, who looked at it as if it were an alien. He turned his eyes up to his companions and then looked at the rope again. The silence was thick with anticipation.

"Umm?" Feliciano offered.

"Y-Yes?" Kiku answered.

"So…" Feliciano continued.

"What is it?" Ludwig asked.

There was silence again before Feliciano's hand found its way to the back of his head, scratching at it sheepishly. "I can't climb something like that, ve…" There was a shared glance between Kiku and Ludwig, in which Kiku's eyes indicated quite clearly that the blond was far more suited to the task of reclaiming their wayward Italian. Ludwig sighed and edged forward.

"Tie the rope about yourself and I'll pull you up…" He didn't even wait for Feliciano to try and tie it on his own, calling down detailed instructions on just where to loop the rope and how to do the best knots. Many… _many_… times, Ludwig had to repeat himself. The thought did glimmer through his head that perhaps Feliciano had to be making mistakes on purpose, but that didn't seem quite right. He hoped. Then again, was it truly better for the other to actually be this incompetent?

Rocks tumbled down to the dark as Ludwig set to the task of hauling the other up. His boots were planted firmly into the dirt, sinking into rock and pushing against the larger stones to brace with. He'd looped the rope about himself, creating a secondary anchor. Kiku watched carefully, monitoring both the man being hauled up and the safety of the rope and the one pulling it. The sun in the sky beat down on Ludwig, bringing beads of sweat that filled with dust from the wind on his skin. Each pull of the rope was punctuated with a deep grunt from the man, the effort taxing his muscles. Perhaps if the Italian hadn't been carrying his pack, this would have gone marginally faster.

Scrambling and clawing at the edge of the sink hole, Feliciano did his best to climb the rest of the way out, his fingers and nails filling with dirt as he did so. Kiku was at his side in moments, clasping an arm and hauling the other up. All three men collapsed onto the uneven and unwelcoming terrain once safety was assured for all, panting and rubbing out sore muscles.

"That was dangerous…" Feliciano lamented, as if the warning was worth anything now. The other two nodded, though something was certainly on the Japanese representative's mind. Though not one who ventured his thoughts without prompting, with the Italian around that wasn't really a problem. A simply inquiry of what was wrong was sufficient to draw out the words.

"I believe… we've just found… the remains of a Clan…"

"Eh? Remains?"

"Yes… did you not look around when you were down there?"

"Mmm… no… I was looking up! To get out!"

"I confess I didn't get a good look… but based on our travels… there _should_ be a clan sanctuary in this approximate location…" Ludwig turned his eyes back to the hole. "So… this is what happens to those who weren't prepared." His voice was collected and serious, expressing less sympathy for the fallen than reproach for those who failed. Feliciano seemed crestfallen, but the sentiment did not reach Kiku.

"Or those who have left early… those who have chosen not to follow the rules of _The Journey_…"

His words seemed ominous, and it made Feliciano shiver. Darkness fell to Ludwig's eyes as he considered this. "Yes… that's true… it is entirely likely some clans sought to pad their chances at victory… sought to turn the odds to their favor…" He shook his head. "Well, of course we had to consider some competition… there are many clans out to make _The Journey_… it is why our own alliance was necessary."

"Ve?! There are… more people making _The Journey_? Then… why don't we all work together?"

Ludwig shook his head while Kiku remained silent. Instead of answering, both men rose to their feet, pulling on their packs, preparing to set off again. Feliciano followed suit so he wouldn't be left behind, but his confusion was clear on his face. Neither would answer him when he asked again and again, and with a subdued silence the trio pressed on. It was only hours later that Feliciano heard Ludwig. Whether the man was speaking to himself or to the Italian wasn't exactly clear, but the words were far from encouraging.

"We can't be the only alliance made… times may become tougher soon enough…"

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Ugh, I hate 'explanatory' chapters… but they must be done. Anyhow, I'm glad I got through this chapter, because the next should be much more fun for me to write, which hopefully means more fun to read? XD And if Ludwig's words weren't painfully obvious enough, next chapter we get more characters! Hooray.

For those who think I'm being mean and making poor little Italy way too weak and useless, please bear with me. Not only do I adore him, but I promise he's not the main character for nothing!

Thanks to my reviewer, and thanks to those who're watching this as well.


	3. Chapter 3

Kiku could not recall a time in his life when he'd felt more embarrassed, more flustered, or when his cheeks had felt nearly this blazing hot. After initially attempting to help the representative of Clan Germany, he'd by now been reduced to covering his eyes with his hands, his back to the indecent horror behind him. He could hear the sound of bodies moving, could hear the muffled grunts of Ludwig and the higher pitched desperate whines of Feliciano. How… just how in the world someone… people… anyone could do something like this out in the open in broad daylight was absolutely beyond him. It was embarrassing… it wasn't proper! It was… it was…

At the very least it wasn't _safe_!

"I said put your pants back on!" The German's voice ground out, as he wrestled to forcibly yank said article of clothing back onto Feliciano's skinny hips.

"Ve ve! Ludwig you're hurting me!"

"Then stop struggling and do as I say!"

"But I haven't had a proper siesta since I left the sanctuary," the Italian representative wailed. His pleas did absolutely no good, though, for Ludwig was resolute when it came to redressing the other, and just as determined not to allow the other his oh so precious siesta. A dejected whine broke through Feliciano's lips at his defeat, and he looked all but ready to cry. Ludwig on the other hand was busy brushing off his survival uniform, forcing it back into tip top order and shape before dragging his pack back up to his shoulders. Japan, after giving them both a few more minutes, finally turned back around to face them, a blush still firmly highlighting his cheeks.

"Get up, we need to keep moving." Feliciano grumbled miserably and muttered a few things in Italian, earning him a sharp look from Ludwig. That was enough to get him to pick up his pace at least a little, and their walk began again.

Despite the forced rest stop Feliciano had attempted to impose upon them, they were actually nearing a point of interest for them. In the distance, close enough that it wouldn't be long before they arrived, was the skeletal remains of a town. Well, of a town or a city, with as much as was left now it was difficult to tell. It was notable, however, because there were buildings there that were actually still standing. There were probably nine buildings all told, a few more if you included crumbling clusters of walls grouped in threes and twos. Most of the buildings had lost their roofs, however, and all showed significant damage. Walls were incomplete, paint was peeling off, windows shattered out or made larger from holes knocked out of them. Plaster chipped, frames and supports were revealed, and if anything was certain, it was only one thing.

No one should be living in these buildings.

That didn't mean they were deserted.

Ludwig brought the trio to a stop before entering the town, motioning for them all to come to a halt behind the husk of a broken down old car. The rusting behemoth served as a shield for them for now, and cautiously all three peered over the fallen automobile.

"Aren't we going to go inside?" Feliciano asked, his voice loud and oblivious to anything. He was quickly shushed quiet however.

"Careful, we don't know if anyone is in there," Ludwig cautioned, his eyes scanning for any signs of movement.

"We also don't know if there are any creatures that have made a nest within those walls," Kiku added darkly. Feliciano began to tremble, ducking down and out of sight.

"M-Maybe we should skip the town then… I don't wanna go into a monster's nest. Hey hey Ludwig let's just skip this place…"

"Hmm…" The blonde's eyebrows pulled in, a scowl forming on his face. It wasn't the Italian's words that caused it, rather the ghost of movement from the second floor of one of the buildings. He couldn't be sure he saw something, yet he trusted his gut on this. He motioned with one hand to Kiku, willing the other to duck completely behind the car as Feliciano was. It wasn't until the other had complied that Ludwig began to speak in hushed tones. "I believe we've been sighted."

Feliciano drew in a sharp gasp, his fingers itching to dig into his pack and pull out his white flag. Kiku's eyes narrowed just slightly, flicking to stare at the car as if he were looking through it towards the danger.

"We should run away!" Feliciano piped up, for the tone Ludwig had used didn't put him of the mind that they'd been sighted by anything friendly. The German shook his head to the negative however.

"If we flee now… it's very likely that they'll be able to continue to watch us, and then follow us at their leisure. I don't want to put our backs to a potential enemy unless pressed."

"Then, what do you suggest?" Kiku asked.

"We certainly can't enter of course; it'd be suicide without knowing their intent. They have perfect cover, we'd have none. If they have any sort of firearms, we'll only be easy prey. In fact, if they'd had guns with range long enough, I have a feeling they may have taken a chance on the offensive already."

The Italian continued to fret, shaking his head and snuggling up closer to the dirty dead car. "S-So…? What do we do?"

A deep rumbling hum was all that came from Ludwig as the man pondered, weighing various actions and strategies in his mind. The world seemed to fall calm as the other two waited, only the winds creeping through the distant buildings breaking the silence. Every so often Ludwig flicked his eyes skyward, as if judging something.

"There's still a lot of daylight left… too much. I don't want to leave until it's dark."

"Why in the dark? Isn't night dangerous? Is it safe for them to follow us in the dark?" Feliciano asked. Ludwig shook his head no.

"I'd prefer not to do traveling at night, but what works against us will work against them just as well. At this distance, we'll see them if they try to approach during the daylight, and if we leave at dark, it will be difficult for them to tell if _we've_ left or not. It will be difficult… and we'll have to be quiet… but it's the best option I see for us now. _If_ they let us wait out the day. "

Feliciano gave a whimper of uncertainty but nodded his head, completely bowing to the decision of the German. Kiku seemed to contemplate it for a moment, but without any idea to their potential enemy's numbers, it was best not to force a confrontation. With any luck, whoever was lurking inside the buildings didn't want to see them any more than they wanted to be seen.

"So… can I have my siesta then?" Ludwig let out a long suffering sigh, and Kiku merely placed a hand on Feliciano's shoulder, shaking his head in the negative.

X x x x x x x x x

"Well? What are they doing aru? Can you see?"

"It looks like they're hiding behind the car…weak…"

"Stupid American, they saw you! This is your fault that they know we're here!"

"Oh lighten up Artie, a hero isn't supposed to hide in the shadows anyway! I say we go right out there and confront them like real men!"

"You idiot! And I told you not to call me that!"

"Well, we do outnumber them, da? This will be easy…"

"Just _everyone_ be quiet!"

A disgruntled quiet settled over the men hiding in the dark upper level of the two story building. They were crouched around the crumbling hole in the wall, peering out in the distance at the small band of wanderers, or at least at the car they were ducked behind. All but one of them was fair of hair, though of course none were related. No, like the trio of clan representatives outside of the town, these five made up yet another alliance.

"Seriously guys, I say we charge out there and get rid of them! With me on our team we can't lose! You guys just need to back me up is all."

"I said no you idiot, we're not going to charge out there!"

"I disagree with both of your ideas…"

"Shut up Francis!"

"I said I'm going and I'm gonna! A hero doesn't jump out of the shadows; he jumps down from the top of the building… hey! That gives me an-"

"I'll go with you aru! Let's just use the stairs _down_ though!"

"Hahahaha, ok! Let's go!"

"Wait! Oh bloody hell…"

The sound of one very excited pair of feet could be heard thundering towards the stairs, the steps hitting down so hard that the already suffering concrete began to chip and crumble by the second. Shortly thereafter the sound of four more pairs of feet could be heard, some taking greater care to be quiet and cautious, all of them doing a much better job than the first. Faint grumbles could be heard from the young man in the lead, the youngest in the group really. They fell along the lines of 'it'd be way more heroic to appear on top of the building' and the like. A few negative grumbles answered back, but nothing significant enough to deter the headstrong 'leader'.

The group of five raced forward, and it seemed the leader would be placated somewhat as he charged forward to leap and stand on top of an overturned pick-up truck. No sooner had his feet hit down on the car, denting the suffering metal beneath him, did he release a boisterous laugh that echoed wildly through the air. The four other people came forward, none of them choosing to climb up on the car, assembling about it in varying locations. The man on the top struck a pose, one hand on his hip and the other pointing forward and skyward with one finger. Both his teeth and his glasses flashed brightly in the sunlight, even if one of the lenses was almost completely ruined with cracks.

"Hey, you out there, come out! The heroes have come to face you!" He laughed wildly again, his posture never changing. His brilliant blue eyes held a wild gleam to them, and his entire body radiated a readiness and desire to engage the hiding trio. His smile, no matter how dazzling, was decidedly feral.

X x x x x x x x x x x x

"Whaaaa… what do we do Ludwig?" Feliciano's trembling only grew worse, and by now he'd dragged his white flag out of his pack completely, clutching it to his chest like a lifeline. It was almost amazing the car he was pressed against wasn't rattling from the force of the quakes that attacked his body. A low curse escaped the German representative's lips, his face hardening in thought, mind no doubt working furiously. Kiku's hand dipped to his sword, though he kept his attention to Ludwig.

A smile hit the blonde's lips, grim yet not entirely upset. "This may actually turn to our favor… if it isn't a trap." He squinted his eyes, taking in the distant group of five. "They're either very foolish… very clever… or completely over confident." He shook his head, trying to measure it out. No matter what, the clearest fact was still that they did indeed outnumber the trio, regardless of whether or not there were more of them still hiding.

"Come out come out! Don't make us come get you!"

"I said be quiet, can't you be quiet for once?!"

The bit of squabbling seemed to keenly catch the attention of all three, though it was most certainly more significant to Ludwig and Kiku. Feliciano did give a little thoughtful 've', before tentatively holding his flag out a bit. "Should we surrender do you think?"

Ludwig paused for a moment, before actually giving a devious smile at the Italian representative. "Actually… that's not a bad idea… hold on though…" From the examination thus far, it _seemed_ none of their enemies were armed with firearms at this point. In fact, none of them seemed to be holding conventional weapons at all.

The man standing on top of the truck, their rather boisterous spokesman and, possibly, leader, was empty handed. He wore what looked like a light brown survival uniform, a darker jacket layered on top. He looked tall and young, rather inexperienced to Ludwig's first impression. There was something though, something in that confident and fearless body language that made Ludwig feel cautious about this blond. He was possibly a fool… but fools typically didn't survive if they didn't have some other sort of advantage.

Standing in front of the truck, and closest to the trio really, was another individual that seemed to radiate danger despite the fact that he stood so casually. Exceptionally tall and dressed in a survival uniform that was covered with a long tan coat, a pale winter scarf obscured the man's mouth. Pale violet eyes gazed out towards the three with what quite possibly was supposed to be a peaceful expression, but there was an aura of instability to the man. The fact that he was casually holding broken and rusted pipe in his hands as if it were some sort of club didn't help matters either.

The only other man standing in front of the truck, though only barely, was the lone dark haired man. The long strands were gathered in a ponytail, resting on the shoulder of the deep green survival uniform. Ludwig frowned as he tried to puzzle over what the man was holding, concluding that it looked very much like some sort of rounded frying pan and a ladle. He was wearing a wicker basket on his shoulders, and a small black and white animal peered over his shoulder. A bear of some sort, Ludwig identified. He'd consider it a potential extra threat for now.

Standing behind the car, to the left of the leader, was a blond with wavy hair and what seemed to be a sparse beard. The shoulders of a vivid blue survival uniform could be seen over the car. He had his elbows propped on the ruined vehicle and his chin resting on his hands. Quite possibly he could have a gun, with his body hidden as it was. He didn't have it drawn and ready, but it was possible the man was a quick draw and a quick shot. It was difficult to gauge, and he seemed to be giving nothing away from his position.

The last man, standing almost directly behind the leader, made Ludwig pause. A perplexed expression crossed his face, trying to puzzle the sight out. "Is that a… chair… strapped to his back?" It certainly seemed like it… and it wasn't just any chair but one that seemed exceptionally old and antique. It sat on the blonde's back, tied to him like a backpack. Ludwig couldn't quite puzzle it out anymore than he could puzzle out the massive dark patches that marred the face. He chalked it up to the distance between them, but it almost seemed like those were the eyebrows of the man in the lighter green survival uniform. That had to be impossible of course; no one had eyebrows _that_ large.

"I do not think that they are coming," said the man with the pipe, a childlike air of disappointment dancing from his lips.

"Laaaaaaame," the fool on the truck crowed out. None of the five, however, made any sort of move.

Keeping alert, Ludwig switched his focus of examination from the five to their location. The ruined truck seemed stable enough, flipped on its side and beached in a gulf of dirt and debris. There wasn't much else on the ground between the two groups that could be used for cover, just a few ineffective rises of rubble. Ludwig swept his eyes to the buildings that flanked the truck, and here he began to formulate a plan.

The wall of one of the buildings, the second story, looked completely ready to collapse. It leaned forward heavily, and it seemed that all it would take was a slightly strong wind, or a well placed bullet, to send the wall tipping forward and right onto the five assembled at the car. _'They did not pick their position well… if this is truly a trap and a ploy to draw us closer, it's a dangerous gamble they're making.'_ Ludwig contemplated the situation a moment longer, before he began to issue orders.

"Feliciano, you're going to say you surrender. When I tell you to, step around the car on Kiku's side, and take no more than five paces forward." Even if they had a gun, the maintained distance would make the shot a tricky one with the dusty winds moving about. Feliciano gave a nervous nod of the head, his fingers closing vice-like on the pole of his flag. "Kiku… after Feliciano steps forward, I want you to stand. Move to the side of the car, but do not approach further. I'll move to stand to the other side. If they make any move to go on the offensive, be ready to retreat away, and keep the car between us and them in the retreat as long as possible." He readied his gun, making sure it was ready to fire, and then looked to the Italian representative. "Go."

"Veeee veee!!! D-Don't hurt us!!!" Feliciano, his knees shaking and tears all but pouring from his heavily squinted eyes, stepped forward. In his panicked state, he almost didn't have the mind to count out his paces, but at five he remembered to stop, holding his ground and waving his white flag frantically. Following suit, Ludwig and Kiku stepped out beside the car. Kiku had his hand carefully positioned by the hilt of his sword without drawing it, while Ludwig held his rifle before him. He didn't aim it at the five, but he made it obvious that he had one.

"Hahahaha… wow… I wasn't expecting them to just come out and surrender! Of course, my awesomeness was probably way too much for them to handle!"

"Please never speak again if you can't say anything intelligent…"

The man on the truck kept on talking regardless of the words from the man with the chair on his back, crossing his arms over his chest and taking one step forward rather dramatically so he could lean forward. "So, who the heck are you guys, and what are you doing out here, huh? Don't try to lie, the hero always sees through it!"

Feliciano looked over his shoulder at Ludwig, who gave a nod of the head. Kiku frowned, wondering if it was wise to let Feliciano do the talking. He didn't object though, going along with whatever plan it was the German representative had in mind.

"My n-name is Feliciano and I'm from Clan Italy and and that's Ludwig of Germany and Kiku of Japan and please don't hurt us!" Through the babbled out speech the auburn haired youth had continued to wave his flag, and though his arms were tired he wouldn't stop ever. He'd show them the depths of his spirit! Glances were exchanged in the group of five, and the two behind the car seemed to speak deeply for a moment, bitterly exchanging something that the trio certainly couldn't hear. The man with the bushy eyebrows reached out, tugging at the pants of the man on the car for attention.

"Eh? What?" The leader reluctantly crouched down, listening to the secretive words of the chair toting one. After what seemed like some bickering back and forth, the 'leader' cast a glance over his shoulder. Something about his renewed smile and that crouch only served to make him seem wilder, even more like an animal that couldn't wait to pounce. Ludwig saw Feliciano take a worried step back. Slowly the man stood back up on the truck, and there was a mild shifting of positions from each one of the five. Ludwig felt his muscles tense up a bit, ready for action.

"So… you guys really _are_ villains then! Hahaha too bad for all of you! Sorry, but the bad guys aren't allowed to complete _The Journey_! That's my job!" He moved so he was standing at the very edge of the truck at the front, one foot only half supported by the metal now. He raised one of his arms high before turning his hand, jerking his thumb towards the ground. "Too bad, you guys lose!"

Feliciano let out a squeak and shot a glance back at Ludwig. The German representative began to raise his gun as the youth on the truck pointed forward.

"China! Go get em!"

"Aiyah!" The dark haired man seemed to ready his wok and ladle as if they were swords. No sooner had he taken a few steps forward did all three of the trio react. Kiku drew out his sword immediately, recalling the retreat command yet determined to buy time for Feliciano to get back. Said Italian, however, was running and far behind their car shield apparently faster than Kiku could blink, and the Japanese representative was momentarily stunned by just how swiftly the Italian man had run. Could people even move that fast? Was it possible?

Ludwig wasted no time in raising his rifle, lining up his shot even as the other man rushed forward at him.

"Hahahaha, what are you aiming at?" The blond on top of the truck shouted, having apparently followed the aim of the gun. The other four did as well, and panic quickly washed over the two behind the truck. The pipe wielding man almost seemed amused by things as he started to step away, the wavy haired blond breaking out in a run away from the truck. Only the idiot on top seemed rooted to the spot, apparently oblivious to the consequences of what was apparently the German's terrible aim.

"Alfred, run!" Mr. Giant-eyebrows shouted, waving his arms and clambering up onto the truck, trying to physically pull the other man away. Of course, you could only move so fast with a heavy chair strapped to your back, and the resounding bang of the shot being taken pierced the air. The charging man, China, even paused in his attack, spinning on his heel just in time to watch the wall start to crack and lurch forward.

"Arthur, Alfred! Run aru!" He shouted, but everyone could see it was far too late. The massive slab of concrete rushed down at the truck, and the ear splitting crash that resounded was almost deafening. A cloud of dirt and dust exploded up from the impact, billowing out and causing the two men closest to cover their mouths and start to cough. Ludwig kept his gun trained, turning to aim at the dark haired man. They had an advantage, and he wasn't going to waste it. He'd been just about to pull the trigger when an obnoxious laugh rose up from the dust cloud, one that they'd heard just moments ago.

'_No, did he manage to leap away in time?'_ The wind slowly cleared the smoke, and everyone… _everyone_, stared with wide eyes at the sight that was revealed.

Pressed flat to the truck with his hands over his head was the man with the chair, unhurt despite what had to be a heart stopping scare. His face was turned up; jaw dropped wide open as he stared up at the other man.

Despite the fact that the truck had caved downward from the impact, it had not been crushed. Standing upright still, his knees bent slightly to brace himself, was the blond bespectacled youth. He had a manic grin on his face, his arms bent over his head as he held, actually _held_ the massive slab of concrete over his body. Despite the dirt that painted his skin from the falling wall, he looked no worse for the wear. His body wasn't even shaking from the effort to hold up wall segment. Indeed, he even lifted it higher, tossing his head back to laugh a bit. He made it seem as if the heavy concrete was nothing more than a thin sheet of cardboard.

A chill of fear swept over the men assembled, through the trio and the other four allied men alike.

"Im… impossible…" Kiku breathed, the normally restrained man looking openly flustered. Ludwig knew that even his own face had to be a mask of pure shock. Feliciano's eyes were wide as saucers behind his goggles, and fretful mutterings of a 'monster' kept rolling past his trembling lips. The fact that the man's own allies seemed to be possessed of shock and in some cases fear only made the trio more worried.

"What?" The man on the truck demanded with an all too casual laugh, still holding the wall high over head, ignoring the few chunks that crumbled off the edges to fall here and there. He cast a look around at his comrades, confusion painted through the smile on his face. "I _told_ you all I was strong didn't I?"

Ludwig wasn't certain, but it seemed the man with the thick eyebrows and the bearded one shared a very significant and almost guilty look, but it was difficult to tell. The man with the scarf only seemed to giggle at the situation, dusting off his pipe in an offhanded yet rather threatening manner. "Da, you did! How fun." The look he cast the youth was enough to send shivers even down Ludwig's spine.

"Ludwig-san… perhaps…"

He nodded, and without a word he turned and started to run, Kiku right at his side. They'd take this moment to escape, use the obvious distress and confusion of the other group to get out of here. The German representative was honestly shocked that he didn't have to yell at Feliciano to run faster, marveling at how far ahead of them the other was. He never ran this fast during training. He was quickly going to leave them behind at this rate.

"Not so fast!" He heard a voice shout, and he didn't dare turn his head back, only putting his head down to run even faster. He heard the boom behind him and felt the shockwave of the wall impacting the ground at his heels, pebbles spraying forward and pelting his legs. He'd barely escaped the throw.

"Come on, after them! They're getting away!"

"Let them go for now!"

"No way! Heroes don't let the villains escape!"

"Alfred, just let them go!"

"But!"

"Listen to Arthur for now aru!"

"But!"

A frustrated howl chased the fleeing trio as they sped over debris and stones in their escape.

They didn't light a camp fire that night, nor did they raise their flags. Ludwig had taken great pains to obscure their path of retreat and their camp, picking the most secluded spot he could find for them to bed down that night that couldn't be used against them as a trap or corner. They huddled close together, not even setting up tents, using jackets and body heat to weather the cold night winds. Ludwig had scouted much, and while he hadn't seen any signs of pursuit, he wanted them all able and ready to flee at any given moment. A cold meal of dried foods was distributed amongst them all when the German representative was satisfied enough with their safety. Eventually, hushed and whispered conversation traveled within their little huddle.

"We're going to have to adjust our course, avoid that town altogether. I'm not certain if they'll stay there, come looking for us, or continue on _The Journey_… but we need to do whatever we can to avoid contact with them all. At least any contact we don't plan for." His eyes dipped to the rifle in his hands, considering it.

"I wonder if bullets would work on him," Kiku voiced, reading Ludwig's musing.

"I wish I'd taken a shot to find out," he replied grimly, dissatisfaction in his voice.

"H-How… how can s-someone catch a wall?" Feliciano whimpered out. The youth had been plagued by an unrelenting shiver of fear since the encounter, his body still trapped in fear and the instinct for flight. The anxiety was exhausting him; you could see it plainly on his face.

"It… must be his _Quality_… though I… have a hard time believing it…" Ludwig shook his head, face scowling into the dark.

"I did not think it was possible… for such an extreme physical _Quality_ to manifest," Japan agreed. His dark eyes seemed to grow thoughtful, and he discreetly let his gaze rest on Feliciano for a few moments before setting aside whatever thought had come to mind.

"Well, we don't know the conditions of the other clans… there could have been… testing done… experiments… it could be the byproduct of a prematurely opened sanctuary… there are variables that might explain it." Ludwig let out a sigh. "We'll need to be even more vigilant. There's no saying what other exceptional _Qualities_ may be out there. As it stands now, out of those five, we only learned the _Quality_ of one of them."

"Wh-why… why did they call us bad guys and make it like we were the enemy?" Feliciano tugged on Ludwig's jacket, sadness in his voice. "We aren't doing anything bad… just trying to help our clans… we aren't bad!"

Ludwig offered him a short reassuring pat on the shoulder. "We aren't bad… but we are competitors. We aren't a part of their alliance… and therefore… a threat to their efforts."

"I don't understand," Feliciano muttered, depression as clear in his soft voice as it was in his eyes. "_The Journey_… it doesn't make sense… why couldn't there be enough for everyone? Why can only a few succeed…"

Ludwig and Kiku looked to each other, but neither could offer up an answer they didn't have themselves.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Bummer end for the chapter, eh? Sad Italy makes me sad.

Busby's Chair is totally the ultimate weapon of the apocalypse, eh? XD

Anyhow, this chapter introduces some POV switching, and from now on there shall be times here and there where we leave our heroic trio. _Mostly_ the story will stay put on Italy, Germany and Japan though, but just thought I'd mention it. Hopefully it's pretty clearly marked when the shifting happens anyway.

Thanks to my second reviewer so much for the lovely words, and next chapter expect the tragic tale of Switzerland and Liechtenstein! Ok, perhaps not something I should announce happily.


	4. Chapter 4

The day had been dark and oppressive; the weather apparently working to give a physical illustration of the doom the trio feared could be following them. Putrid looking clouds had clogged up the sky, a crowded mass of sludge up above them that barely moved in a stagnant huddle. Unlike the days that'd passed by before, the winds seemed all but nonexistent. It was disconcerting, to say the very least. Every step they took seemed to stand out, preserved and pristine with no blown dust to obscure the tracks. Each placing of the foot seemed to cause a noise that rang out sharply with nothing else around them to mute and obscure it.

Still, despite the high tensions and lingering dread that'd been weighing them down all day, that group of five had not caught up to them. It was too soon to think that they weren't being trailed, but if they were, the five had decided not to make a move just yet.

Evening was falling, though with the darkness of the dirty clouds it seemed as though it was coming prematurely. The trio was marching along their new planned path in mostly silence. They'd very carefully reviewed their maps as soon as there was light that day, planning and plotting a new route that would hopefully not only keep them away from that ruined town and the five, but also not detour them too terribly. They only had so many supplies to keep them going throughout _The Journey_, after all. If they strayed too far from the path, then they'd need to start considering the prospect of scavenging food.

Hell, maybe they should start considering it now anyway. Feliciano didn't seem to understand the concept of rationing.

There was a tugging sensation at Ludwig's side, his hand being pulled. He tightened his grip and a very stern expression washed over his face. This had been happening all day… and while it was _partially_ his fault, it was at the very least ninety percent a certain Italian clansman's. With the weary voice of a parent to a particularly persistent child, Ludwig spoke up. "Stay close, Feliciano, no wandering off."

"Ve~ But I saw something interesting…" the youth protested, tugging weakly on the other man.

"Feliciano… I told you… we need to stick close," Ludwig's voice dropped low with warning. He was tense enough from the encounter yesterday, and the German clansman found his patience and temper slipping more and more. Who wouldn't grow tense and angry when, on top of a journey to save your entire clan's future, you were apparently being straddled with babysitting duties as well? "They could be following us, and if we get separated that may prompt them into action. We three must stay close."

There was a small disappointed pout from the smaller man, but then Ludwig felt his hand being lifted… their gloved and joined fingers all but waved on display.

"Oh well, at least I get to hold hands with Ludwig!" There was a polite cough from Kiku, who was traveling next to Ludwig, and the German's ears burned red with frustration and embarrassment. It was definitely _not_ that he held any fondness for walking along and holding hands with people, least of all men he barely knew. _However_, short of tying Feliciano to him with a rope, he'd found no good way to tether the other close. Shouting was only effective until the auburn haired youth seemed to forget what had happened. Trying to scare him wasn't working any more. It seemed, just like a poorly trained puppy, Feliciano was prone to wandering about in curious exuberance.

It was strange, Ludwig thought, to find the wasted world around them something fascinating to flit about, yet somehow Feliciano did. It was as though he saw it through eyes less jaded, less bitter, and far less serious. Perhaps it was not such a bad thing, Ludwig conceded. It was, however, inconvenient. It was annoying. It was the cause of this ridiculous hand holding. _The Journey_ seemed to feel longer than ever.

An annoyed glance was cast to Kiku by the blond of course, for truly Ludwig felt the other should have more of a _hand_ in managing the Italian as well. Ludwig was training Feliciano to be stronger, he was babysitting… what was Kiku doing? With a sigh though, the German banished the thought. _'No no, that train of thought is counterproductive… and Kiku has been very reliable so far in combat and planning. It's just Feliciano he leaves to me.'_ Ludwig wouldn't make a fuss over it, he never did. His superiors were counting on him to successfully complete _The Journey_, and if there was anything Ludwig took pride in, it was a job well done.

Feliciano was feeling very restrained that day, quite understandably so of course. As much fun as it was walking hand in hand with someone, the Italian wasn't exactly a fan of having his hands restricted. Holding hands wasn't supposed to make one feel trapped, but that's exactly the sort of vice-like way Ludwig held on to him. It was less of a friendly welcome social gesture, and more of a bind. His hands being bound was a bad thing, even if it was only one. It made his tongue feel awkward and his words just a little off. He couldn't quite gesture so freely when speaking when his arm was anchored down.

Well, he'd just have to put up with it, because there was just no wriggling out of the other man's grasp it seemed. It was comforting and upsetting all at once. Feliciano hadn't forgotten the horrors of yesterday of course, and so knowing full well the German man was right there with his rifle, able to protect him, helped keep the little Italian bold and upbeat. He was trying to keep upbeat for everyone in their trio it seemed, for if left to their own devices it seemed like both Kiku and Ludwig were far too serious. What was life if you were always so serious and subdued, right? These two just needed to relax and have some fun.

Even if they were, yes, on a very serious mission.

Kiku wasn't terribly comfortable with the way Ludwig had chosen to keep Feliciano from running off, but he wasn't about to start arguing about it. Keeping his thoughts to himself, as was only proper, he allowed just minor indicators of his thoughts to slip out in polite coughs and cautiously averted eyes. Walking about holding hands like that… it was a bit much, wasn't it? It was far too familiar and much too intimate. Kiku had considered suggesting Ludwig employ a rope to tether to the foolish third wheel of their alliance, yet had only stopped himself when his mind created a dismal picture.

He could just imagine it, danger popping up on the horizon, and Feliciano panicking. He'd run and rush about, possibly pulling Ludwig off his feet in his haste. Perhaps things would go truly bad and the Italian and German would wind up tangled in the rope, a helpless two for one present tied up in a sloppy bow. Though a hand was too intimate, at least the grip could be detached with more ease than a rope. _'I could cut the rope, yes, but I do not trust Feliciano to hold still for me.'_

Kiku let his deep eyes flick ever so discreetly to look at the representative of Clan Italy. The Japanese man had been making a considerable effort at figuring out the other. Namely, figuring out how he was to be useful. It was entirely possible, of course, that the youth had nothing of worth to add to their alliance. There was no absolute rule stating a clan's _Qualities_ would be well suited for combat or survival or other practical matters. The clans were unique for a reason, and each painted a different sort of life from the other. Perhaps, Kiku had to consider, this was precisely why Clan Italy had worked so hard to establish this alliance for _The Journey_.

As far as Kiku understood it, clan Germany had approached Italy first, but the Italians had very much agreed and done everything they could to get an air tight promise that this alliance would be honored. Were it not for the presence of the Germans, Kiku suspected his own clan may not have agreed to ally with Italy. _'Not if the heads of Clan Italy were anything like Feliciano.'_ So was that it then? Ludwig and he would carry the weight of this mission, and Feliciano would simply leach off their efforts, actually making things more difficult? Quite honestly, Kiku did not want to believe that. The idea of all three of them working in unison and contributing evenly was much more soothing to his mind.

'_I hope Ludwig-san is able to discover his _Quality_ soon… it would be nice for Feliciano-san to begin pulling his own.'_ The Japanese clansman let his mind wander briefly to the possibly _Qualities_ that seemed they would be suited to Feliciano, and his mind kept coming back to one thought in particular. It'd occurred to him in the battle yesterday… and yet… it almost seemed like he'd made an error in his conclusion somewhere. He would continue to watch for it though, and he would learn if he was right or not in due time.

"Everyone, hold…" Ludwig's strong voice dragged both Kiku and Feliciano out of their thoughts, the Italian letting his head fall to the side like a confused parrot as he stared up at the other. He stared up into Ludwig's face, noting the tight line of his mouth, the way his cold blue eyes were locked on the horizon. For a short while now, Feliciano had been staring up at the clouds while they walked (such a safe thing to do when walking across uneven terrain of course), trying to find patterns and shapes in the disgusting grey masses. Letting his eyes follow Ludwig's however, his mouth dropped open. Like a frightened little boy, and stepped closer to Ludwig, almost of the mind to hug to him.

Kiku advanced a few steps past where Ludwig had stopped, his expression unreadable as his eyes took in the chilling scene in front of them. You could have almost missed it, almost walked right into it. The ruinous landscape easily covered the world in depressing shapes and muddy remains of objects and times swallowed forever. However, on this day, this gloomy and terribly still day, it was as if everything were on display. The winds failed to kick dust into the eyes, even Feliciano had his goggles seated at the top of his head rather than on his face. It was dark, but it was the clearest the trio had ever witnessed since coming to the surface.

It was the perfect day to see the dead.

Beneath an all too thin layer of dust and disturbed debris, strewn uncaringly across the landscape before them, were the remains of what looked like an entire clan. Some may have considered the almost careless way the bodies littered the ground to be some sort of mercy, for there were no signs of extreme cruelty present, no corpses on posts or spikes to brag at the mayhem of the hour. The sight before the three was the vision of a massacre; it was the execution of those who fled. It was not a point to be made, it was not a statement. It was business; it was simple day to day life. It was heartless without wickedness.

"L-Ludwig… Kiku…" Feliciano's voice ghosted up at them, as if he were nothing but one of the forlorn spirits from this tragedy. He tugged at the blond man who still held his hand, wanting them all to get out of here. Instead, Ludwig released him, and began to walk forward. "Wait! Isn't it dangerous? What are you doing?" His voice quaked and quivered, even more so when the dark haired man moved forward at the blonde's side. "Kiku, too? But but… wait for me…"

It wasn't even as though they'd been running forward, but suddenly any distance created between them all was too much for Feliciano. He was at their heels in moments, much preferring to have them between him and the bodies. His head turned this way and that as he scanned for danger. Any minute… any minute the attackers would be on them again!

"It's been a few days at the very least," Kiku began solemnly, staring down at a corpse by his feet. The level of dirt on the man, contrasted to the state of decay, seemed to indicate as much. Feliciano pointedly refrained from looking down to find out, and let out a pitiful little whine when Ludwig took a knee for a closer look. The sky… the sky, yes! That was something good to look at. Yes yes, look at the sky, oh hey, didn't that cloud look a lot like pasta? Think about pasta. That was better, just think about pasta and stare at the dark… ugly… blackish… pasta clouds…

"Ludwig-san… look." Kiku's voice drew not one but two pairs of eyes, the attention of all three turned where the Japanese man was pointing. Partially obscured by a fallen length of corrugated iron siding was a dark black pit. It almost looked like a cave, but it was clearly only one thing. The entrance to whatever sanctuary this had been. From the dark stains and the jagged landscape that surrounded the darkness, one could guess that the entrance had probably been blown away by some sort of explosive.

Feliciano swallowed a lump in his throat, his gaze trapped on that ugly black hole. It reminded him of the one he'd fallen into days before, and it forced to his mind what he should have thought on more deeply at the time of his previous fall. "Who? What clan was this…?"

Kiku was about to shake his head, not that Feliciano probably would have seen it, when the answer came to mind. Quickly he turned, sliding his travel backpack around his shoulder so that he could reach inside. Ludwig cast him a questioning glance, but the Japanese man would let his actions speak instead. He pulled out his map, setting it down on the uneven ground before him and spreading it wide. His fingers trailed swiftly over the image, darting over the various notes and landmarks clearly denoted with simple kanji. His hand slowed only when it came close to their estimated position, lingering down to a stop directly between two landmarks.

It was a simple answer, of course. Japan's map had the locations of a few of the other clans, gathered by his ancestors long before the disaster. The marks of location had never been placed with the intent of ill will, more as contingencies should emergency help be required. There was not a lot of cooperation encouraged between the clans in the days before the disaster, but that didn't mean there hadn't been _some_. Kiku looked to his companions, voice soft but steady. "This was either Clan Liechtenstein… or Clan Switzerland. The two sanctuaries were built very close together."

While the Italian let out a small soft prayer in his clan's native tongue, Ludwig sent a determined and calculating frown towards the ruined hole to the sanctuary. "We need to learn what did this," he stated, his voice harsh and authoritative. Kiku nodded his head slowly, collecting his map and resettling his belongings.

"You do not think the five we encountered were responsible for this," he said, more of a statement than any sort of question. Ludwig nodded.

"The sheer difference in numbers aside, the five we encountered seemed untested and unpracticed in working as a team. You and I both saw how they bickered and argued, even standing directly before an enemy. Hidden allies aside, it seems unlikely they could have done this." It was not out of malice that he seemed to exclude Feliciano from having observed that, but the Italian hardly seemed to be paying attention as he continued his soft prayers, and truthfully it seemed more of a fact that the auburn haired one did not notice regardless.

Kiku inclined his head to the side just slightly. Indeed, he was coming to a similar conclusion, but to hear the other man's thoughts was insightful to his own musings. "Please continue."

Ludwig took a breath, turning to stare at the nearest corpse to them. "There seem to be entirely too many casualties caused from gunfire, which does not match the pattern of attack they displayed in the ruined town." His voice was blunt, on topic, and did not fish for any sort of agreement. "Even if we were to consider that those five _could_ have pulled guns on us, and simply chose not to… the sheer numbers of a clan versus five would require a stunning tactical mind behind the attackers. I will not state that it is impossible that they can do better than we saw… however at this time I do not find even I could easily discern a way for five men to cause this sort of carnage. I am inclined to think whoever did this… came in much greater numbers."

"I would have to say, I am in agreement in your conclusions," Kiku replied. He wasn't in perfect agreement, but close enough. A small crease of worry came to rest between his eyes, taking in the possibilities of this scene before them. It seemed that every day that passed by they were treated to a new level of danger on the surface.

"Do you…" Feliciano's voice nearly made both Ludwig and Kiku jump. It wasn't that it was terribly loud, for it was not. The words were dismal and sad really. What startled the two was that they'd been lost in their contemplation on the situation. They'd been so engaged in discussing this all between each other that they'd all but forgotten about the third among them. The Italian didn't seem to notice this at all as he continued on. "Do you think anyone survived? Should we… should we look to see?"

It was a bold statement to come from Feliciano perhaps, but his compassion couldn't let him leave someone behind. After all… what if this had happened to Clan Italy? What if someone had come to attack them? He clenched his teeth, trying not to let that icy thought that someone could go attack his clan _right now_, leaving them slain like this clan. A sanctuary was supposed to be… well… safe obviously. He'd been so worried about his own fate up here on the surface, and now he feared deeply for Lovino back at home. For his twin and the rest of his clan.

He looked up into Ludwig's eyes, hopeful for guidance and reassurance, and the taller man's eyes did soften. It was only slightly, but they did. "I would like to investigate what happened further. Examining the state of the sanctuary may answer my questions… and as we do so… perhaps we will find survivors." The unspoken words of 'if there are any' hung about the air as heavily as the clouds above them. "Carefully though, stay close to me and remain alert. Listen for my commands and be ready to follow them at a moment's notice."

"Of course," Kiku replied stoically, hand to the hilt of his sword.

"O-Ok!" Feliciano replied with a nervous salute. Satisfied, Ludwig readied his rifle to his hands.

Carefully they'd made their way, Ludwig and Kiku rigorously searching out traps or hidden enemies before they eased themselves inside. The only man with both hands free, Feliciano had been delegated to use their largest flashlight to guide their way. A smaller light was fixed to Ludwig's rifle, but the beam of light was much smaller.

No stationary lights appeared to be on inside the ruined sanctuary, not even sickly emergency lighting. Everything felt silent and still and the three moved slowly in a tight formation. Their steps broke the quiet of course, as did their breathing which seemed far too loud. Their small beam of light was directed in intervals from straight ahead to walls and the floor.

"Feliciano," Ludwig whispered harshly the fifth or sixth time the man yanked their beam of light away from an unpleasant sight. It was beyond frustrating and dangerous to have their primary light source continuously flinching away from things. They weren't just passing through ruined halls of metal and plaster; they weren't simply avoiding torn apart lighting fixtures and computer panels. Blood added to the paint on the walls in rusty smears and sprays. Bodies lay in silent huddles and ungraceful stretches. Some of the corpses looked as though they'd been chewed upon; signaling that some of the strange surface creatures had made their way in here to feast on the leavings.

The smell that pervaded the halls and corridors was overwhelming and horrendous. It was the heavy stench of decay, of death. It overwhelmed the senses and curled stomachs, making throats gag in pure reflex. Makeshift masks had been made of cloth when it became too much for each of them, at least some small measure taken to muffle the smell. The stench was trapped down here, and the three were inwardly praying that their noses would adapt and blot it out.

Down metal stairs they trudged, though stagnant air they moved, and over bodies and overturned furnishings they walked. Pipes had broken during whatever catastrophe had hit this place, rank and moldy water pooling on the floor, mixing with blood on occasion. The puddles were nothing but breeding grounds for bacteria and insects, and had the smell of death not been so prevalent, the putrid water would have tainted the air strongly.

Doors had been pulled from their frames, tables over turned and computer stations absolutely destroyed. What little food had apparently been left behind down here was now all rotting and worthless to the trio. The clan sanctuary had been assaulted and gutted, their data and knowledge lost in destroyed computer systems. The generators were silent at any rate, so even if the computers hadn't been destroyed, there'd be no power to run them.

Coming to what looked like it had been a small medical office the trio found their first and only possible clue to what exactly had happened. Surgical trays were over turned, medical instruments littering the floor uselessly. A body lie on a small recovery bed, the no doubt ailing man shot down before they would have ever recovered from their sickness. At the wall though, in a slump, was a corpse in a white coat. A doctor. There was what looked like a permanent marker fallen near him, released from his grasp when he'd been shot in the back. Above him on the wall was a hastily scribbled message.

"Italy, shine the light steady please," Ludwig murmured, lowing his rifle so that he could step closer to read. Written in the global tongue, a fair warning to any clan that would come down here was the incomplete message. All three stared at it, not needing the sentence to be finished to get the gist of it. The sanctuary had indeed been attacked, the door blasted open and the invaders quick to rush in to overwhelm them. The message mentioned a distress call had been made, and yet it seemed pretty obvious it'd either been ignored or the aid had perished here as well.

"Clanless…" Ludwig muttered, shaking his head. What did the man mean when he'd written that the attackers had been clanless? How could anyone have survived the disaster without a clan? Did such people exist? The blond shook his head and took his rifle back to his hands in readiness. His face was stern and grim. "Let's go, there's nothing else to be done down here."

Feliciano squirmed a bit, as illustrated by the bouncing light. On one hand it almost seemed a waste to leave a shelter when night was falling, but obviously none of them wanted to sleep surrounded by the dead. In a subdued and contemplative silence the trio started to make their way through the crypt-like halls, minds full of defeat. No survivors, not even one. This clan had been gutted too easily; it did not bode well for the state of the other clans.

Their minds were heavy with such thoughts, which allowed the skittering of clawed feet to escape their notice for far too long. It was when their lights caught reflective red eyes that the three were startled into readiness, Kiku having only a moment to shout out a warning before blurs in the dark rushed for them.

Rats, massive rats rushed up from behind them. Of course there had to be rodents down here, taking advantage of the easy pickings. Having gorged themselves on the corpses when they'd been fresh, they no doubt had acquired a taste for blood, and wanted a fresher source of it. It was impossible to count how many there were in the darkness, for the light couldn't penetrate far enough. The sound though, the clawed feet on smooth floor, the chattering squeaks that echoed in the hallway. It spoke of more vermin than any of the three wished to face.

"Feliciano-san, the light!" Kiku had his sword drawn, ready in his hands. Without the light though, he could make no attacks. The three were in tight quarters, and to randomly start swinging his blade was likely to slice one of his comrades just as easily as the rodents lunging for them. The Italian clansman was shaking, dying to run, but he did at least vaguely keep the light on the attackers. Kiku narrowed his eyes and lashed out, cleanly severing bodies any chance that he could. Blood coated his blade as he continued to sweep through the beasts in precise arcs.

The hall was filled of course by the sounds of rifle fire, as Ludwig took aim to the mangy beasts flocking towards them. He used his own meager flashlight to sight them with, kicking away at any who came too close with a booted foot. If he'd had a moment he would have perhaps switched to his pistol, for it was easier to shoot something close quarters with it. The rats, however, were not giving him the chance to switch out his firearms. Sweat dripped down his brow as the masses of rats continued to surge, his mind working diligently to find a solution out of this. They couldn't simply turn and run, they'd be overwhelmed from behind in seconds flat.

"Kiku," Ludwig grunted out, knowing full well that the man with the blade had the better weapon at the moment. "How are you holding?" He needed to gauge how well the Asian man was holding up, yet couldn't spare even a moment to look personally. He could hear the almost songlike swish of the blade as the dark haired man fought.

"I am not injured," Kiku affirmed, though how long his stamina would hold up trying to silence these rats was another matter entirely. Too many and his form would slip, too many more and he'd become too fatigued for the metal edge to do its work. His spirit was strong, but realistically he knew something had to be done. This was not an end he could accept. He could not die here. "However an escape plan would be welcome."

What they needed was a moment, just some sort of moment to allow them to get a head start against the rats. A distraction perhaps or a stun would be even better. Ludwig thought furiously over what he had in his travel backpack. He had more ammunition of course, but that wasn't exactly what he needed. He didn't have any sort of stunning grenades, not that he could use one here. They'd only be affected as well. What could he possibly use?

Feliciano's sudden scream of pain, and the crashing of the flashlight to the floor, was definitely _not_ the sort of distraction Ludwig had been looking for. The strangled screams turned to full on shrieks of terror as the sounds of a struggle by the Italian pierced over the noise of the rats. Ludwig swore loudly, wanting to turn his small light to check on Feliciano, but instead resolutely holding it out to provide light for Kiku. The man with the sword needed to see, he needed his ability to cleave at the rats to remain intact. In this situation, his safety and continued viability was more important than the Italian's.

"H-Help me!" Feliciano wailed, only a form in the dark so far as the other two were concerned. Kiku's brows pulled together in strained concentration as he continued to fight off their enemy. Ludwig's hands held still as he provided as much light as he could, face drawn tight as his ears strained to listen to Feliciano.

On the ground, the young Italian representative had one of the giant rats on him, the beast having slipped past the other two men. It'd lunged at him and knocked him down more due to surprise than its size. However, now that Feliciano was floored, the beast wasn't letting him up. His hands scrabbled at it, pushing and shoving, trying to get it away. Claws scratched up his arms and chest when the cloth of his survival uniform started to give in. Crisscross patterns of cuts stung and released his blood, sending the rodent into even more of a frenzy upon him.

Fearsome teeth suddenly fought their way deeply into Feliciano's left bicep, and he let out an earsplitting wail of pain. The rationality to use words flew from his mind as the pain exploded through his arm, lancing through his chest and torso as the rat's jaws twitched between holding tight and trying to rip. The young Italian thought he might have heard his comrades shout to him, but his mind couldn't register it. Instinct, pure blind and panicked instinct had him kicking and struggling, trying to force the creature off of him.

Frustrated at his sudden inability to do anything, Ludwig steadied the rifle on his shoulder, changing his position so he could keep his gun and the light steady with just one arm. With his now free arm he began to grope blindly behind his body, in the hopes that perhaps he could assist the Italian in some way. For a while his hand merely flailed in the dark, hitting nothing. His heart skipped a beat with the flicking tail of the rat grazed his fingers. Ludwig continued to blindly reach and grasp behind him, and when his hand closed over the tail of the rat at last he yanked at it swiftly. There was another yell from Feliciano, before the rat was flung forward. Kiku's blade swiftly put an end to the rodent with the blood stained jaws.

There was no time to properly check on their ally; Ludwig's mind had finally found the solution they needed. "Feliciano, pick up the light. Quickly!"

There were no words, just muffled whines of pain before the light was suddenly up off the ground, held in one hand by a trembling Feliciano. He leaned against the wall, but pointed the light at the swarm. The Italian was gritting his teeth, trying to hold on and help his friends. Ludwig quickly shouldered his rifle and started to fall back. "Hold them Kiku, I'll be back."

The Asian man let his blade do the talking, and Ludwig broke away at a sprint, flicking his small flashlight here and there, peering into rooms with haste filled accuracy. Room after room he rushed through until he found what he needed. Old glass bottles of cleaning supplies were picked up, the potent liquids uncapped. Ludwig examined the bottles quickly, formulating his plans. In one bottle he mixed a couple of the substances, a noxious smell coming from it before he swiftly capped it again. In the other he shoved a length of cloth, a makeshift Molotov cocktail awaiting a flame. His hands hurried to pull matches out of his pack, and then swiftly he rushed back to his allies.

Feliciano looked about ready to slide down the wall and pass out, Ludwig unable to see how pale he was becoming in the darkness. Kiku was nearly overwhelmed, his blade swipes slower and less effective. "Kiku, get ready to fall back!" He shouted as he charged forward. He threw the mixed bottle of cleaner once the Japanese man had nodded, watching as it hit the ground and shattered before the swarm, showering the front row with the liquid.

Unlike the humans with their lesser sense of smell and covered up noses, the animals were helpless to block out the pungent and sharp artificial odors of the chemical. One of their most sensitive organs was suddenly under assault, and it caused the first row of rats to flinch back for a moment, jamming into the masses writhing and trying to climb over them towards their prey. It stunned and disoriented them for a moment.

Kiku saw his tiny window of opportunity, and turned to run, his sword still held ready to attack and defend himself. Using one arm he dragged Feliciano with him, pulling at the other to put some space between them and the beasts. Lighting a match and staring hard through the dark, Ludwig waited as long as possible before he threw the flaming bottle. The rats in the first row were engulfed in flames, utter chaos breaking out. Some of the rodents tried to scurry forward still, some rushed away. Some turned and fought each other in a blind panic.

Ludwig couldn't stand around to watch the results. Even though they were getting much closer to his own position, Ludwig thought Kiku and Feliciano were too close to the spreading flames for comfort. While Kiku was well enough to run, Ludwig gave his legs yet another push to get to Feliciano's side, the heat of the fire burning hot against his skin. Light, at least they had light for now.

Hauling the smaller man up onto his shoulders, Ludwig finally turned and ran alongside Kiku for the exit. On the way Ludwig felt a slump to the man he carried, knowing that the Italian had passed out. One or two rats still gave them chase, but the Japanese man's sword made such pursuit futile. Their boots pounded loudly through the halls as they went. They needed to escape the rats just as much as the spreading smoke from the fire. Neither man stopped running until they'd reached the surface once again, the frigid night air almost stunning them in the contrast from the now heated underground.

"Come on… we need to find a place to sleep and… check his wounds…" Ludwig's voice was grim despite his panting breaths from the exertion. Of course they had no desire to sleep surrounded by the corpses littered over the ground, and the two found themselves walking for a short while. No rats, at the very least, left the sanctuary in pursuit.

Camp was set up quickly and only with the bare essentials done. Fire and light were a must, and a tent for Feliciano at least. The man was shaking and sweating, delirious with fever and loss of blood. Ludwig and Kiku worked on him as swiftly as they could, pulling off his jacket and shirt to get to the gaping wound in the youth's arm. While Kiku focused on treating that wound, Ludwig tried to clean out the smaller cuts, looking for any other heavy bleeders. His blue eyes flicked to that nasty deep bite over and over though, worrying over the damage.

"It does not appear…" Kiku muttered out as he worked, cleaning the site as well as he could while trying to lessen the bleeding. No doubt harmful germs had already gotten into his bloodstream. "That any major arteries or veins were cut… though the muscle…" Kiku trained off, a deep frown on his face as he continued to work. He was no surgeon, he'd had no significant trauma training, but he did what he could. The muscle was torn but hopefully not beyond repair. The open wound was stitched together to the best of the Japanese man's ability.

"We need to break the fever…" Ludwig muttered, frustration in his voice. The bacteria had worked its way into the youth's system, his body heating up trying to fight it. Ludwig tried to force some water to the Italian, but the man was largely unable to take more than a few reflexive swallows. The shivering and shaking were growing weaker, the heat on Feliciano's skin only seeming to grow worse. The night passed nearly without any rest for the representatives of clan Germany and Japan as they tried to save their ally.

The sun had risen for almost an hour when Feliciano seemed to stabilize, and in relief Ludwig and Kiku took turns finally gaining their own rest. They were going to lose most of their day, unable to travel, but they had all survived. They were alive. It was much to be thankful of. Small meals were had by each of the conscious men as the morning melted to the afternoon, and the two discussed the option of moving the still slumbering Italian. Neither could tell when the other would be able to wake or walk again.

Of course, practically, the idea of leaving him behind had been ventured. Neither the German nor the Japanese seemed willing to break their alliance though. It would be betraying their clan and their orders. It would also be betraying a man who, while unsuited for combat, had done what he could to help without complaint. They would not leave him behind.

A makeshift sled was made for Feliciano then, and Ludwig and Kiku began to take turns in pulling him along. This greatly slowed their progress over the uneven terrain even if Ludwig took longer turns than the smaller Asian man. They wouldn't be making much progress today at all, but it was progress all the same. The pair pushed onwards in silence, keenly alert. Neither had forgotten that the sanctuaries of clan Liechtenstein and Switzerland were very close together… it was entirely possible they'd be stumbling into the remnants of another slaughter soon.

Of course, the slaughter they found wasn't exactly what they'd been expecting.

Once again there were corpses strewn about the area, yet this time they weren't simply the gunned down fleeing remains of a clan. Ludwig and Kiku tensed at the sight of the other men littered amongst the clan corpses. "What… what is wrong with…" Ludwig was almost speechless as he came to a stop. He stared down at the 'man' nearest him on the ground, a chill running through his veins. Was this corpse… what had caused this disfiguration?

"Do you think this may be one of the 'clanless' mentioned in that note?" Kiku asked, his eyes narrowed to look at the figure. Ludwig hesitated, then nodded his head slowly.

The figure at their feet was essentially human. It had two arms, two legs, a head, all in the general proportions you'd expect. Its skin however was a sickly red-orange, covered in boils and lesions, patches of green dry flakes peeling from his skin. Some of the appearance could possibly be attributed to the decay the body was going through, yet the muscles on the man seemed almost lumpy, the bones twisted and contorted in a way that defied a simple death sprawl. The worst perhaps was the prominent teeth, lips pulled back in a sneer showing them off. They were crooked, but they were also overly large. They were fewer in number, thick and yellow-brown.

The corpse was human yet not. It was a man twisted by who knew how many years of radiation, who knew how many generations of it in his genes even. Patches of scraggly hair clumped on his head, his face, and his hands at seemingly random.

"So, it appears they must have come after clan Switzerland after they took on Liechtenstein… and it would appear Switzerland was ready for them." Ludwig licked his lips, as if he were looking back at the battle that must have taken place here. "Did they destroy each other then? These… raiders… and clan Switzerland?"

Both he and Kiku looked about, trying to locate the door to the sanctuary. Had it been breached? Blasted away like the last one had? Neither man was inclined to make too close of an inspection, for yesterday was fresh on their minds, and now one of their own was wounded and suffering from illness.

"I cannot see the door… and there is nothing we could do here for them… I believe we should go Ludwig-san." The Japanese man put a polite hand on the German man's arm, drawing the other from his intense inspection. He could tell that Ludwig didn't like to leave without a solid inspection of the area, without some greater understanding. Kiku did not like leaving questions behind either. However, _The Journey_ had to take precedence, and they'd wasted enough time and had to adjust their course already.

"You're right," Ludwig began, turning away. That was when the shot rang out, causing both men to flinch away from each other as a blur passed right before their eyes. They ducked low immediately, working to find cover behind rubble. Another shot was fired as they both ducked back as well as they could, Kiku having grabbed at Feliciano's make-shift sled and tugged him.

"Get out of here!" An irate voice came shouting at them from a well concealed fissure, the still standing doors to the clan Switzerland sanctuary. Knowing where to look now, Ludwig could see that the doors had been damaged, and that the space currently filled by an angry blond with a gun probably couldn't be closed any further. Swearing under his breath, he ducked his head as another warning shot was fired towards him. "I don't care who you are, what you're doing, or what you want. Leave or I'll shoot you!"

Ironically, Kiku was actually missing the fact that Feliciano was not awake to pull out that white flag of his. It'd be a quick way to insist that they posed no threat. From his spot of cover, Kiku heard the German man shouting in answer.

"We're not here to harm you, we'll leave! Please allow us time to move, we have wounded!" Ludwig stood cautiously, his hands held up before his chest, open and without his rifle held. The man at the sanctuary door tensed and trained his gun on Ludwig, as if half of the mind to simply shoot the man rather than let him comply with retreating. Kiku swallowed, eyes intently focused on the gunner. It was while the gunner was so intent on Ludwig that another person came into view, a young blond girl with a beautiful ribbon in her hair. She seemed to peek around the man, before racing out of the sanctuary.

This startled not only the gunner but Ludwig and Kiku as well. Were it not for her meek and peaceful look, Kiku would have dropped his hands to his katana. However, as she dashed out ignoring the protests of the gunner, her frantic look was that of worry and concern, not fear or aggression. A timid hand reached to curl before her lips as she looked back and forth between the German and Japanese, her eyes seeking out something. It was when her vision traveled down from Kiku to Feliciano that she seemed to give a bit of a start, rushing forward.

"No, stop! Don't go near them!" The gunner rushed out to catch her, and she pulled and tugged silently, pointing at the fallen man before turning pleading eyes at the gunner. The blond man from the sanctuary seemed to curse inwardly, sending threatening glares at Ludwig and Kiku. Rather than go on the offensive, both men held their positions, neither drawing their weapons. The girl tugged on the gunner again, wordlessly gesturing to Feliciano. "No… we can't get involved in this, they aren't our problem."

The girl bit her lip and shook her head, almost seeming as if she'd break out into tears. The gunner's face flushed red, and slowly his resolve seemed to break. With a fierce scowl to both Ludwig and Kiku, the gunner took a breath. "Fine, hurry up and get inside. We'll treat your friend, but then you have to leave!"

With words of thanks, Kiku and Ludwig followed the pair inside. They were relieved to be greeted not with the stench of death, but the low quiet hum of electricity still running from generators below. The air was mostly clean and fresh smelling, the permanent gap in the door letting in some of the dust and smells from the outside world. All the same, the walls looked mostly cleaned; even if it was apparent blood had been scrubbed away.

Aside from the mechanical noise, neither Ludwig nor Kiku spotted anyone else moving about the sanctuary. The other members of the clan were either in hiding or… well, it was best to consider them hiding. The young girl trailed along next to Feliciano's little sled, eyes watching him as the little group made their way to a medical ward. "Put him on that table," the blond gunner said gruffly, glaring at them as he started to pull out equipment. The young girl also rushed over to assist, even if the gunner kept telling her she should leave the room.

"So, what happened huh?" The gunner asked, eying the Italian man. Ludwig cleared his throat before explaining.

"We were investigating the sanctuary of clan-" No matter how neutral and businesslike his voice had been, the gunner quickly cut him off with an angry hiss. Both Ludwig and Kiku startled, following the man's eyes as they swiftly shot over to the young girl. They didn't have the specifics, but both men were smart enough not to push the topic. Ludwig continued his explanation as vaguely as he could; focusing mostly on the fact that it had been a rat that had done the damage.

The gunner continued to work on Feliciano with a grunt of acknowledgment to the story, pulling out a small syringe and giving the Italian a shot. He shook his head and stared at them. "It's best for him not to be moved until tomorrow… you can stay here but," a furious glare was forced on them. "You stay where I tell you to! Then tomorrow, even if he isn't awake, you're out!"

"We can't stay in this room with him?" Kiku's voice was polite, hiding away his uneasiness at leaving Feliciano alone. Yes, it was a bit silly to think someone would try to treat a person's wounds just for show. All the same, the Japanese representative had no reason to trust the gunner, and being split from his helpless ally did not sit well.

"No, is that a problem?" The man ground out the question, venom in his voice. His eyes were challenging, daring the other to speak against him.

"It's fine…" Ludwig broke in, looking to Kiku as if to ask him to let this go. No good would come of upsetting this person who might be able to assist them further. Kiku's brows knit, dissatisfied, but he nodded his head.

"Yes, that is acceptable…" The vagueness in his voice seemed to grate at the other man's nerves, who slammed his hand down on a table. Ludwig and Kiku both flinched back from the display.

"Say what you're really thinking!" The gunner yelled at Kiku, before shaking his head. "I hate people like you… but whatever… come on." With a growl the gunner hitched his weapon strap higher on his shoulder and turned on his heel. The room the pair was taken to wasn't that far. "This is where you'll stay at all times unless I get you. I'll be nearby if you need anything. My name is Vash… shout for me, don't come looking." Hospitality never entered his voice, and he left the two alone.

It was quite a few hours later when Ludwig noticed someone at their door, that same young girl with the ribbon in her hair. In her hands she carried a tray of dinner, Vash looming behind her like an overprotective watchdog. The pair entered, the girl setting the tray down for the German and Japanese men nervously. Vash tugged her to his side, but she didn't seem to want to leave the room.

"Hurry up and eat, she won't leave until you do." Vash seemed decidedly bitter about it, but focused his irritation at the two intruders. The pair shared a glance, but had no true reason to deny the food.

"This is very good, did you make this…" Ludwig trailed off in his compliment to the girl, looking to her for a name to use as much as an answer about who cooked. The girl just flushed and hung her head, both embarrassed and pleased for the compliment. She didn't speak though, which prompted an agitated shifting from Vash.

"I don't know her name… she doesn't speak… so just... hurry up and eat." His voice was strained, a look of worry and affection hitting his eyes when he glanced at the young girl. Wisely, Ludwig and Kiku took his advice, finishing their meals in silence until the end. Both were very complimentary of the food once their plates were cleaned. The young girl seemed absolutely thrilled at the response.

"Go wash the dishes… I'll be there soon…" Vash said, giving the girl an affectionate pat on the shoulder. She nodded happily at the man before giving a little bow to their guests and rushing away. Vash watched her go before sighing, pulling off his hat and running a hand through his hair. His gaze was noticeably harder when he turned it to the two men.

"I just wanted to tell you that I checked up on your friend. The antibiotic is doing the trick, and the safe environment to rest in should have him awake in the morning. He's lucky though, very lucky." With his news reported, Vash turned to leave the room.

"Wait," Ludwig called out before he could. Both blonds eyed each other for a moment, neither gaze terribly friendly. Ludwig's wasn't hostile of course, just concerned. "That girl… she's from… clan Liechtenstein… isn't she?"

A look passed over Vash's face, strained and angry, as if he wanted to shout at them that this was none of their business. Hell, his fingers looked like they were itching for his gun. He ground his teeth though, and reigned in his temper. Slouching against the wall, he avoided their eyes.

"Yeah… she is… I found her there when I went to go help them." Shaking his head, the Swiss man let out a hollow laugh. "Our clans… they're 'sister clans', ya know? We were supposed to ally for _The Journey_, and we even kept up an open line of communication all these years. When they really needed us though… needed us so much… we were too slow to get there. She's the only one left… the only one."

"So you did try to help…" Ludwig said sadly, wanting the man to go on. Information was valuable, and as Vash seemed willing to talk, he wanted the other to continue. Vash offered him a bitter smile.

"Yeah… we did… and it was all for nothing. Liechtenstein fell… and when the aid party returned? We found those bastards attacking our clan!" Vash's body tensed, his hands balling into fists at the memory. He swore under his breath, turning angered eyes at both of them. "Assholes… damn assholes… we couldn't even kill them all… I couldn't kill them all. There are still more of them out there… you should all watch out for them once you leave."

"Would you be able to tell us about them?" Ludwig leaned forward slightly as he asked, trying to impress upon the man the need for this information. Vash frowned and shrugged his arms.

"There's not much I could say. They're more monsters than men… just marauding clanless bastards. They're strong… but their mutations mostly just make them hard to look at. Probably resistant to the natural forces outside, ya know? But a good bullet kills them just like us. They're smart though, obviously they use weapons, too. I have no idea how many clans they've hit but… they know what they're doing. They've had the practice at it to be quick." Vash snorted at the end of his words, as if angered that he should have to give them what seemed like praise. His mood had soured enough that Ludwig doubted how much more he would be willing to share.

"Would it be possible for us to speak to some of your other clan members as well? To learn more of the attack?" No matter how politely he'd said it, Kiku was suddenly pinned with furious eyes. A bitter laugh clipped off of Vash's tongue before he shook his head.

"No, because I'm all that's left. Of the six of my clan that survived their attack… only I healed from my injuries. So much for Clan Switzerland." The hurt and the guilt in his voice was so thick it almost choked his words in his throat.

"I… I'm sorry…" Kiku began, eyes dropping down to the floor. Vash sneered, but his anger seemed to break, hopelessness descending on him.

"You didn't do it, so don't apologize." Vash's voice was still unpleasant, but the tone was honest enough.

With just two people living in this sanctuary, manning all of the tasks and defending a broken door, the chances of survival were grim. There wasn't much of a future for Switzerland and Liechtenstein as it stood, instead it was only a matter of time. It was a waiting game until extinction.

"Would you like to come with us?" Ludwig offered. If the pair came with them, perhaps they could find another clan to take them in, to share their sanctuary. The German knew how capable a marksman the man was, so it certainly wouldn't hurt them to have the help. It would help even up the odds with the group of five a bit, should they attack. Vash's eyebrows rose at the question, but he shook his head.

"You're on _The Journey_ right?" There was a mild sneer on his lips, directed not at Ludwig or Kiku but the task itself. Ludwig nodded. "I'll pass. I know damn well the sort of conflicts you guys must be having with other clans doing that… I want no part of it. Even though I'm my clan's representative… I just want to stay out of this. I don't want trouble. I don't care who completes the journey. Just leave me and… Liechtenstein… alone."

"You don't need to participate in _The Journey_… you could travel with us until…" Vash actually smiled a bit more pleasantly as he waved his hand, silencing Ludwig.

"I can't take her wandering around, out where there's more danger." Pushing off the wall, Vash made to leave the room. "I appreciate it but… we'll manage here. Thanks… and remember… no leaving this room." With a glare to show he meant it, the blond man left the room.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

First and foremost (and most important of all): thanks to _all_ my reviewers! It's always awesome to get feedback on what people like, what they think I'm doing well _and_ the things I need to work on. Thanks thanks thanks!

I don't know that I have too much else to say about this chapter, other than I finished it later than I wanted to. So it goes. It's longer than the others, so maybe that makes up for it a little?

I'm very excited to get to some events coming up though, and oh how hard it is not to rush! I hope those following this story continue to look forward to the next chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

They'd said their goodbyes to the two lone residents of the clan Switzerland sanctuary four days ago, departing come morning just as Vash had wished. Though the man had seemed to calm down about their presence, not deeming them as threats, they hadn't wanted to push his good will any further. Honestly Vash had been exceptionally generous to them, feeding them with reserves that would probably never be replenished, sending them away with antibiotics and painkillers to help Feliciano cope with the wound on his arm. Infection was still a problem to watch out for, Vash had cautioned, and a fever could return easily if they weren't careful.

Ludwig had offered to take the two along on their travels one more time, careful not to push too hard in respect for Vash's wishes. The offer had been declined again, though Vash had let them know that should they ever be near again, they were welcome to call upon their hospitality. It seemed a monumental boon from the man that wanted nothing to do with those involved in _The Journey_. The trio had thanked him and the poor daughter of clan Liechtenstein profusely.

Their pace had been steady but still slower than Ludwig would have liked. Of course he knew that they were doing as well as they could, all things considered. Not only did they have a wounded man, but they were taking an alternate path, adjusting their course based on the dangers and trials they'd run into. It was aggravating to the blond, truth be told. Not only did he dislike the unknown, but he also disliked when plans seemed to fail. He held his agitation inside as well as he could, and he considered it perhaps convenient that he was not the most loquacious of individuals. He doubted either of his companions would be deeply troubled by his silence.

Trailing his blue eyes forward, Ludwig squinted in his attempt to see Kiku. It wasn't that the air was particularly foul, though yesterday had been a blustering mess of thick ash and dust. Today was fair enough, on the warm side but not sweltering. Kiku was several paces ahead of him, a forward scout for their traveling party. They needed to be extra vigilant, considering how much slower their pace had become. The German flicked his eyes to the Italian clansman struggling behind him, and his lips pulled taught as conflicting conclusions warred within him.

Ludwig liked to believe, with more than just a little pride, that if he'd been the one attacked by the rat, he'd be faring much better than the Italian. Not that Feliciano was doing horribly, no. But with the discipline that Ludwig had in his life (and yes, coupled with his _Quality_ of pain resistance), he was certain he'd be pushing ahead full steam, biting back pain in order to avoid hindering their mission. What was suffering if one could serve their clan faithfully? After all, _The Journey_ wasn't something for those not willing to give, well, _everything_ for it.

However, despite the fact that Feliciano was lagging behind… Ludwig had actually been rather surprised to find that the man was not constantly complaining about his pain and fatigue. He wasn't able to carry his travelling pack, not with his arm kept bound close in a sling at his chest, and thus was reduced to dragging his gear along on that makeshift sled that had held his own body not long ago. Ludwig frowned, considering the past few days. Feliciano wasn't so much defying his expectations as he was… confusing them.

'_Feliciano is lazy,'_ Ludwig thought without remorse, having come to know full well that if left to his own devices, the Italian would shirk duties and take unnecessary rest stops, his so called 'siesta' something he still tried to get every day at what Ludwig surmised was 1500 hours. In spite of this, Feliciano could also work very hard, as he was doing now. The only divide that seemed to separate industry from sloth was, well… whether or not slacking was permitted. It made Ludwig want to rub at his temples to massage away a headache of confusion.

It was perplexing and yet somehow rational all at the same time. Each time Ludwig had _offered_ to shoulder Feliciano's burden for a while, to pull his gear, the Italian had rather emphatically accepted the offer, launching into a very small lament about how exhausted he was. On the other hand though, if Ludwig kept his mouth shut, made no offer of assistance… Feliciano didn't ask for it. He wasn't whining or trying to get sympathy help from either Kiku or him, yet he obviously seemed to want it if his easy acceptance meant anything.

The same strange sort of pattern was also present when it came to his injury. If he didn't ask Feliciano about it, Ludwig hadn't heard one complaint about the aching stabs of pain that had to still be present in the Italian's arm. Even with the pain medication, Ludwig knew Feliciano was hurting. He could see it in tiny flinches, in the way he looked pale and sweaty even after waking 'fresh' and rested in the morning. He could see it in the thin line of tension that rested between Feliciano's brows. The Italian was hurting, suffering out only tiny coughs or grunts of pain when he simply couldn't hold it in.

He wasn't _saying_ anything about it though. It made Ludwig almost feel proud, which he knew was absurd. He'd done nothing to coach Feliciano on dealing with pain! The fact of the matter remained though; unless Ludwig specifically asked the Italian if he was hurting, the other wouldn't utter a peep about it. Oh he'd give a good whine if asked, but otherwise? It was certainly diminished, but the youth kept a smile on his face, forcing it brighter every time he noticed someone looking at him.

Like now.

Feliciano had noticed that Ludwig had been watching him the past few days, the other man always looking so stern and serious, as if he were sizing him up. It worried Feliciano, who'd begun _The Journey_ an ill informed bundle of doubts and insecurities. He knew he had never really been the best at reading the situation, but he'd been constantly coming to the conclusion that Ludwig was, well, upset with him. Why else would he stare so hard at him? Feliciano almost felt like he were a near spoiled ration, being judged for usefulness.

'_I… I know I haven't really done anything yet but… I…I'm trying.'_ He honestly was. Feeling backed into a wall, he was trying anything he could to stay in the good graces of his two companions. He made it a point to carry his own belongings (or well, drag them rather), walking as fast as he could so he didn't slow them down _too_ much. He wasn't complaining or being a crybaby… and he thought maybe Lovino would even be proud of how well he was holding up. He was smiling; he was still being chipper… that should mean something, right?

Feliciano _did_ hurt, a _lot_. It didn't matter that his arm was in the sling, held as immobile as possible. Muscles worked in an intricate sort of clockwork, and it was almost impossible to be active and not cause some stress to the hastily patched up wound. It was as clean as possible now, but his body was still weak from the dangerous bacteria that'd infected him. Feliciano hurt so much it was maddening sometimes, and he knew every so often he would begin to babble foolishly about frivolous topics just to distract himself from the pain. Oh his smiles and cheery voice seemed to mask it for what it was, so it seemed to be a safe enough outlet for the little Italian. The distraction also kept his mind off of another rather terrifying possibility for him.

Had his arm been permanently damaged? He didn't know much about deep wounds, nor did he really know just how well his companions had been able to stitch him up. What if, what if his arm didn't heal properly? He already was discouraged, thinking he was less than the men he was with. If he couldn't heal his arm, would it just be better to give his supplies to them and tell them to go on without him? Would they still care for his clan? Feliciano grit his teeth and gave the sled a determined tug. _'No no no! I won't think like that!'_ He rallied his cheerfulness, and continued to smile with vigor at Ludwig until the man turned his gaze away.

It had to be the mood his companions made, they were so serious and well… well… ok just serious! Feliciano wasn't used to being around such 'no nonsense' people. Quite frankly, he didn't think acting that way all the time was healthy. _'I wonder if I can cheer them up somehow…'_ Well, it was certainly a topic he could use to distract his mind from the ever present throbbing ache in his arm. Humming softly to himself, he let his mind roam over the possibilities. What in the world could possibly bring a smile to the faces of the men with him?

The day was stretching long, the shadows pulling across the ruined horizon as the sun dismally made for the horizon. Feliciano was singing a soft song about pasta under his breath as he walked, body shivering and his arm a burning mass of pain. Dimly he was aware that the pain meds had probably worn off, but he was in too much agony at the moment for it to register well. So blinded by the sensation as he was, he hadn't noticed when Ludwig had slowed his pace, waiting for Feliciano to catch up with a concerned expression on his face. The German didn't get a chance to voice his concern however. Kiku had called for them.

"I've spotted a water source up ahead, and a ridge of high ground near it. I believe that we may wish to use this spot for our camp tonight." The Asian man gestured discreetly towards the ridge with his arm, though his eyes were fixed on Feliciano. Though his face betrayed little as always, he wasn't blind to the built up fatigue the Italian was suffering. Kiku knew they were pushing Feliciano. There'd been the blood loss, the major wounds and minor and the sickness… it was necessary that they continue, but the Japanese man could be sympathetic. God, he wasn't heartless after all.

"Ludwig," Kiku continued, sending a rather discreet glance to the blond. Subtlety was something of an art for the dark haired one, and he was thankful Ludwig was also perceptive. "Perhaps you would be willing to inspect the ridge and begin our camp? Feliciano and I will test the water for cleanliness…"

Ludwig gave a simple nod of the head, understanding well enough that the Japanese man was trying to quietly save the Italian from the more strenuous task of setting up their camp. "Be careful," he cautioned sternly, hitching his rifle up on his shoulder. "I'll be watching of course. Here, Feliciano, I'll take your gear up, no sense carrying it to the water." His voice was clipped and direct, trying to leave no room for argument. Feliciano bit his lip, inwardly debating things. For the barest of moments, Ludwig almost got the feeling that Feliciano was seeing through their words. Did he know they were, well… patronizing him a bit?

In some ways… yes… in others… no. It wasn't that he'd suddenly found a tome that could illustrate the truth of any given situation. He was simply working to interpret things, and he wasn't terribly far off in his guesses this time. Feliciano could feel a bit of glumness, but rallied quickly. "Ok! I'll go help with the water instead." He made sure he said he'd be helping. He could help, right? He looked to Kiku with hopeful eyes, even if they were squinted behind dirty goggles. The other man nodded his head serenely, and the pair headed away. The Italian did turn to wave his good arm at Ludwig. "Be careful up there Ludwig~"

It _almost_ sounded like he got a chuckle out of the man. That was good. He needed to lighten the mood, otherwise _The Journey_ was starting to feel a bit like a death march!

The water source Kiku had located was the now overflowing remains of an old artificial river. The concrete basin had probably been constructed in the past to direct water to specific reservoirs and away from prime city space, however over the years the dirt and debris of the ruined world had built up, making the artificial construct look almost wild and natural. Gone were the pristine concrete walls, replaced by jagged lumps of rock, mud, and ruined construction. Clumps and clusters of vegetation worked to poke up at the water's edge, attracting small swarms of flies. The two men were cautious to stay away, lest the bugs turn to them as a meal.

The water itself smelled fresh enough, its color murky yet without any obvious signs of toxicity. Kiku set down his own pack, and gestured for Feliciano to take a seat while he dug around in it. The Italian didn't argue, letting out a long breath as weight was pulled off his aching feet. He tugged his goggles down to sit around his neck, watching Kiku continue to dig through his pack. Finally the Japanese man seemed to find what he was looking for, fishing out a tiny machine of measures, dials, and small clear chambers. A small look of pride passed over the Asian man's face, though he was quick to wash it away.

Feliciano thought it wouldn't be such a bad thing if Kiku was more open about things like that. "Ve? What is that?" His voice held genuine curiosity in it, and Kiku was quick to give him an answer.

"It's a device that will help to test the purity of the water, let us know if it's safe for use or consumption…" The Japanese man was already moving to the water's edge, dipping the small machine into the water and letting the chambers fill with water. Feliciano could see the care he took not to soak his fingers, and the Italian couldn't help but be amused at how different the two of them were. Kiku returned to sit by Italy soon though, setting the machine on the ground in front of both of them. "It will be just a few minutes until the analysis is complete…"

"That's so handy Kiku… I wish I had one…" His voice was soft and praising, and his face showed open and easy admiration for the other's invention. Kiku seemed to flush a bit before wordlessly going to his pack, digging about again. Feliciano leaned forward slightly, puzzled. He was just about to open his mouth to ask the other what he was doing when Kiku pulled out yet another of those tiny water testing devices. It was identical to the one in use save the color. Kiku cleared his throat as he moved to sit by the Italian again, holding the device out cautiously.

"Please, if you would like it?" There was something certainly shy in Kiku's voice at the offer, and Feliciano thought the Japanese man's face even looked a little red. _'Is he embarrassed?'_ the Italian wondered, though he reached out with his good hand to take the device. It fit easily in the palm of his hand, and he held it up to look at it. Turning it over this way and that, he marveled at the complexity of it.

"Did you make this?" Feliciano asked lightly, his voice as excited as it could be with the pain he was in. "That's what you said right? You were good with little machines?" He hadn't meant any sort of slight on the comment, and yet suddenly Kiku's face went scarlet.

Kiku wasn't just embarrassed about the size comment when it came to the device. He knew it was small… it was _intentional_! But what really had his face red was his own shame at the thought that'd passed through his head. He'd been surprised that Feliciano had remembered one of his _Qualities_. He'd assumed the man had forgotten. _'Thinking like this about an ally… I must amend my attitude.'_ He was beginning to assume the worst of his companion, and that was foolish and potentially harmful to their mission.

Feliciano seemed completely unaware of Kiku's inner turmoil however, still thoroughly impressed with the little device. He gave a pleased little laugh, like a child with a new toy, face a mask of cheer. "This is really great Kiku! So great! I think it's wonderful to make tiny things like this… you can carry lots of them!"

"T-That's right Feliciano!" Kiku said, his face still red but chest burning with a need to praise one of his clan's habits. "Y-You see… our sanctuary was very small, so we did not have much room for large items… and our resources were limited of course, so the smaller and more efficient we could make something…" Feliciano's eyebrows reached for the sky as he watched Kiku actually start to ramble, his face flushed as his eyes remained pinned to the ground right in front of the Italian. "And of course… with the different colors each one is appealing, and the small design is…"

Kiku trailed off, mildly horrified that he'd started talking like that. He raised a hand to his mouth, ready to apologize for his outburst (even if it'd been the mildest 'outburst' possible), but never had a chance to speak as the Italian bowled him over with words.

"It's cute! Ve~ And now I have one too, so I can do water tests for us next time! Thank you Kiku!" Such bright and happy words were dulled only by a slight wince and strain under the tone, making Kiku feel warm inside. He was uncomfortable for certain to be around someone so open, yet at the same time… it was a welcome change. The dark haired man drew his brows together, staring at Feliciano in what could only be described as a fondly perplexed manner.

'_Honestly, I've never known anyone like him.'_ He wasn't such a bad person, Kiku had to admit. He hadn't found his stride outside of his sanctuary, but he was trying. _'He'll get there… perhaps I should more actively assist Ludwig in finding his Quality from now on.'_ Perhaps he would try to improve his relations with the man as well. With a mental nod, Kiku looked down at the device he'd collected the water in earlier, reading the display. He showed it to Feliciano with a small smile still resting on his lips. To see Kiku smiling only seemed to encourage Feliciano's lips to keep their own upward curve.

"It appears that the water can be used… shall we collect some? When we return to camp I can show you another item I have to further clean the water…" It was also very small, but the Japanese clansman didn't need to point that out yet. Kiku rose to his feet and extended a hand, offering to help Feliciano up. The Italian stared at the outstretched hand, swiftly putting his new water testing device into a pocket before getting helped to his feet. Kiku tilted his head when he saw Feliciano sway a little. "Ah… we have not had you take your antibiotic and pain medication yet… why don't you-"

"I'm helping Kiku!" Feliciano's declaration was punctuated by the Italian all but skipping towards the water. In light of arguing, Kiku rushed to his side instead, working _with_ the other to fetch some water.

"Feliciano, here…" Once the pair had made their way up the ridge with the water, Ludwig was already waiting for them. The camp was set up perfectly as always, and a small meal of porridge was once again over the fire. It wasn't a tasty meal; however it worked to fill the belly. The blond was currently holding out Feliciano's medication, which the auburn haired youth took gratefully.

The trio then settled down to share their meal in near silence, light discussions of how far they'd deviated from their course trickling about the campfire, mixing with plans for the next day. Feliciano listened to it all, but when the conversation died down, he decided to pick a new topic to discuss. "Ve… don't you think Vash will make a good big brother for Liechtenstein? I don't really think they'd start dating you know? He acts like a brother! He was so careful with her… he sort of reminded me of my brother… erm… vaguely… sorta…" A longing tone of nostalgia laced his words, and Feliciano's mind was already back wandering the halls of clan Italy's sanctuary, watching his ornery brother complain about this or that.

"Do you have a large family, Feliciano-san?" Kiku's voice was politely curious, a hint of actual interest lurking in his words. Feliciano shook his head no.

"Not really… mostly it was just me and Grandpa and Lovino, my twin. Grandpa used to tell us that we had a big family, and that we actually have members in other clans! But… after Grandpa died… it was just me and my brother…" Feliciano's voice dipped to sadness for only a moment, before his resolve pushed it away. He wanted to keep everyone happy, cheer them up! "But everyone in my clan was sort of like family, you know? But what about you Kiku? Do you have brothers or sisters?"

A small embarrassed laugh breathed through Kiku's lips as he shook his head no, dipping his head and covering his lips with his hand. "Ah, no, I was an only child." He noticed the dip in enthusiasm from the Italian, and quickly tried to amend his statement. "I do not mind though, I never minded being so alone. It was peaceful."

Feliciano nodded his head, humming in the back of his throat and wondering what it'd be like to live without someone really close to him. Carelessly he turned to look at Ludwig, missing the way the German was staring into the fire. The man's face was drawn in thought, not thinking of anything pleasant if his expression was any indicator. Sadly, Feliciano missed it. "Hey hey Ludwig, do you have brothers or sisters?" When the German didn't respond, Feliciano tried again, having thought perhaps the blond hadn't heard him.

"Ludwig? Do you have a brother or sister?" Still Feliciano was greeted with silence. He leaned forward, of the mind to tug on the other man's sleeve when a hand touched his shoulder. It was Kiku's. The Italian and Japanese men shared a glance, which should have communicated that this was perhaps not a topic to push. However, just for good measure, Kiku added in a soft whisper.

"Perhaps this is not something Ludwig-san wishes to discuss." Kiku tried to make his tone less scolding and more conspiratorial. Feliciano's face flushed with understanding, and he turned ready to shower Ludwig with apologies.

"I had a brother…" Ludwig said bluntly, before the Italian could start his lips moving. It stunned the two darker haired men into an attentive silence. Ludwig sighed deeply, shaking his head at the fire, as if willing it to burn away the memories fresh in his mind. Only the soft crackling of the fire filled the space after his words for many minutes, the atmosphere growing tense before he spoke further. "He was my older brother. He… was always causing trouble in the sanctuary… always starting a fuss. He was intolerable, absolutely intolerable. No respect for the rules!"

Despite the obvious disapproval Ludwig held for troublemakers, there was a fondness in his voice that betrayed his affection. With a thick swallow to force his emotions down, Ludwig shook his head. "He was an absolute bastard, but he was all I had."

It may have been the tone in his final statement, or perhaps the look of grief and remorse that passed over the blonde's face briefly, but neither Feliciano nor Kiku could find it in them to ask anything further. If Ludwig didn't want to offer up the story of his brother's passing, then it certainly wasn't the right of the other two to pry. Feliciano did what he could to steer the conversation on to happier topics, and had enough success that their hearts were marginally lighter when they went to sleep.

Dawn came with an eerie silence, gold orange rays sweeping across the landscape like an invisible fire. Despite how bright and warm the day promised to be, Feliciano felt cold. He felt a dread chill in the pit of his stomach. He poked his head out of his tent cautiously, only to see Ludwig and Kiku standing together, tense. It didn't take a genius to understand that if Kiku's hand was at his blade, and Ludwig's rifle in his hands, that things were bad. Feliciano cautiously crept out, shaking but taking his place with the other two.

"What…" he began to ask his question, but it died in his throat as his eyes fell on the first figure standing below the ridge. His heart seemed to drop out of his chest and down to the pit of his clenching stomach.

An unfortunately familiar man in a tan coat and a pale scarf stared up at them, smiling away as if it was only normal that he come and greet them and bid them a good morning. That treacherous metal pipe was still in his hands, held as if it were a precious flower stalk and not a rusting length of metal good for bludgeoning with. The man watched the three with apparent delight, but made no move to climb the ridge further.

Feliciano turned his head, and sure enough, three others were spread wide at the base of the ridge. The man with the chair and the freakish eyebrows… the dark haired man with the panda on his back… the fashionable blond who'd yet to show any evidence of talents. They stood wide and flanking, effectively blocking off a clear path down the ridge. Feliciano counted, counted again, and began to fret further.

Only four? There should be five. There should be the freakish one that could throw walls.

"Down, over the sheer side of the ridge," Ludwig supplied, as if he'd read Feliciano's mind. "The water." The blonde's voice was aggravated and strained, his head no doubt busy trying to work out an escape from this. They were on a ridge, they had the terrain advantage and the only apparent firearm… but Feliciano could see this still didn't satisfy the German.

Creeping cautiously, the Italian peeked over the sheer side of the ridge, gazing down. There… there was the blond with the glasses, standing just at the water's edge like Ludwig had said. The blond had his arms crossed, his lips stretched out into a smile so wide it made Feliciano's cheeks hurt by proxy. Sunlight glinted fiercely off that one cracked lens, a clear blue eye staring up out of the other one.

The blond below noticed Feliciano, and he raised an arm to wave. The smile never wavered, but it seemed to be anything but friendly.

"Oh good, you're awake now! Great! It's cowardly and all to attack someone while they're sleepin', so we were waitin'. But now… well…" The youth let out a boisterous laugh, one that echoed and carried easily to every man present. "Let's get this party started!"

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Regrettably, my heart was not in this chapter. My passion is directed almost exclusively at the ones that come next, and I hate it but I think my apathy for this chapter shows in the writing. Ugh. However… things will be heating up again now with not only more action but also the unveiling of plots and plans and hidden alliances. Answers will start showing up in the chapters to come to a few of the things I've set in motion as well. So one more peaceful moment before I toss the Axis into the fire seemed only reasonable.

Before annnnyone asks, I _did_ say that Prussia will be in this story, and I'm sticking to that statement! You'll just have to wait on it. ; D The awesome shall come…

As always, a thousand 'thank you's to everyone who reviews (and even to those silent watchers/favs) too.


	6. Chapter 6

The wasted world was painted in the glowing light of morning, a stillness settling over the landscape. The trio at the top of the ridge could only stare down for the moment, surrounded by enemies and all trapped in their own thoughts on the situation. From a stoic façade that swiftly ran strategy after strategy through his mind, to the unreadable gaze of the swordsman preparing for bloodshed, no thoughts were optimistic. Not even the sunny representative of Clan Italy could face this with a smile, most certainly not. He stared down the sharp side of the ridge, stared at the blond who he knew could break his bones with ease, and he felt a cold cold chill that defied the morning sun.

'_Does the Journey end here?'_ Thoughts of his Clan and the faces of those he saw as family swam up before his eyes. The image of his brother, so identical to his features, seemed to overlap the enemy standing below him. 'Well stupid little brother?' The ghost of Lovino seemed to snap at him. 'Just what are you going to do now, huh?' Feliciano took a deep breath and shook his head, wishing his brother really was there to speak to.

He skittered away from the sheer side of the ridge. The vision of the blond with the glasses was obscured once more, easing his mind a bit even though he was well aware of the fact that the man was there whether he could see him or not. He backed away until he was standing right beside Kiku and Ludwig again, swallowing and looking to them for some sort of guidance. A small corner of his mind chided himself over the act, whispering words that were of no comfort. _'You can't depend on them forever, remember? Think for yourself and prove your worth… or be replaced.'_

His muscles tensing, Feliciano banished the was a difference between blind dependence and knowing when to look to someone else for guidance, he was sure of it. If he could figure out the best course of action here, he'd say and do it. But the point was that he _didn't_ know what to do here, he'd never been taught about this at home… so the best answer was to ask. How else could he _learn_? They each had their roles… Feliciano just hadn't found his yet. No shame in that, right? Swallowing thickly he tried to keep his voice steady.

"What do we do?" He whispered, gaining no immediate response from either of his companions. He opened his mouth to ask again when the temporary silence shattered again causing him to jump.

"Here I come, let's go everyone!" It was the blond with glasses shouting again. Feliciano didn't even have time to look around properly before it seemed like everyone, except him, sprung into action.

He could hear the sound of the bespectacled one rushing at the ridge with heavy charging steps, and soon enough it sounded like rock and stone were being gripped and mangled, the man climbing up at them. Feliciano would have backed away if it weren't for the fact that the other four were now charging up the softer slope of the ridge as well.

"Feliciano!" He whipped his head about as Ludwig's voice shot out at him, angry and harsh yet commanding. The anger wasn't directed at the Italian, though it took him a moment to piece that together. He flinched as the German's pistol was suddenly thrust into his one free hand, ice blue eyes locking on the Italian for just a moment longer. "You will have to defend yourself," the man ordered before turning away.

Feliciano fumbled with the pistol, having only one hand to hold it with and trembling nerves to contend with. Ludwig had shown him how to hold and use the small gun… but the Italian had yet to gain a chance to really practice with it. The prospect of depending on the small firearm terrified him, knowing his aim with it would be unreliable. Still… what else could he do? He gripped the gun, held it ready, and watched as Ludwig took aim with his rifle, glaring down the sight. _'He trusts me to stand on my own… I won't let him down!'_

A blur of white and black and glinting steel caught Feliciano's eye for a moment, his eyes moving to watch as Kiku rushed for the sheer side of the ridge. A part of him marveled at the way he and Ludwig seemed to work together, as if they could simply anticipate what the other needed. To be honest, it made the Italian slightly jealous, but now was not the time for that. He was doing the best he could… he wasn't going to sit here and let thoughts like that distract him.

The Japanese man had his sword drawn, blade held ready as he peered over the edge. His body was completely still, poised and ready to swiftly cut down their enemy the moment he climbed over the ridge. The determination that creased his brow was soon mirrored on Feliciano's face, and the Italian turned about, watching the other four charging up. His aim seemed to waver about between the four… should he shoot? He really didn't want to… he didn't want to hurt anyone… but they were charging up fast! The urge to run churned in his gut, the Italian struggling to force it away.

"Feliciano, the one with the scarf, fire!" Ludwig's commanding voice laced through the Italian, focusing him. He looked to the German for a moment, but the man was already firing. The rifle sounded out, loud and dangerous, and the dark haired attacker suddenly lunged and dove to the side, rolling swiftly as he sought to avoid the second shot swiftly fired by the German. Feliciano's mouth fell open, watching the dark haired man swiftly keep darting and dodging, actually using his strange cookware to block and deflect a couple of the shots he couldn't physically avoid.

Impressive display aside, Feliciano turned to find the scarf clad man nearing them at an alarming rate. His size alone was enough to make him scary, but the smile he wore as he ran was downright terrifying. It was such a childish smile, his facial features seeming impossibly young and naïve and yet… and yet… the only sort of child that would wear a smile like that was the sort that hung cats by their tails and pulled the wings off of flies. Under those shining violet eyes was so much ferocity that it made Feliciano's knees feel weak.

"S-Stay b-back! Uwaah… I mean it I'll shoot!" He held the pistol before him, pointed at the man. The man only smiled, brandishing his rusting metal pipe like a mighty club.

"You are running out of time to do so, da?" The voice was airy and light and just as childish as the smile, but it was absolutely chilling. Heavy boots clomped into the ground as the man kept up his charge, completely unconcerned that Feliciano had a gun pointed vaguely at him.

His heart hammering heavily in his ears, it was as if the world was moving much too fast. Weren't things supposed to go in slow motion? Wasn't that what everyone said happened? It was no such luck for Feliciano, and with no other choice but to run or get hit by a pipe, the Italian closed his eyes and felt his fingers twitch. There was a loud thick pop from the pistol, his arm jerked by the sharp recoil. It sent him stumbling back, tripping over his feet to land on his rear. Fortune was on his side for the act, if the sudden swish of air and the hum of something passing over his head swiftly was any indicator.

Eyes shooting open wide, he looked up to see the large man in the scarf turn from the force of his swing, standing right above him. There was no sign of a bullet wound, the Italian having missed. His mouth dropped open wide, and in horror he watched as the man straightened up, raising the pipe high above his head, preparing to bring it down on Feliciano.

'_Oh… _this_ is when everything slows down… when you're about to…'_ He didn't bother to finish that thought, suddenly completely enthralled with the vision overhead. There was the man, his pale blond hair illuminated in the daylight. There was his nose, large and shadowing that youthful smile. There were the eyes, suddenly now stripped of all innocence, conveying only some deep satisfaction in what he was about to do. The man seemed bright yet the world around him seemed to dim and grow dark, as if some dark aura was seeping off of him in waves.

Then there was the pipe, coming down towards him, and for some reason to Feliciano's eyes it seemed as if it were almost leaving behind surreal after images as it came for him, moving in tiny fractions rather than a swift sweeping strike. Even his heartbeat seemed to suddenly be slow, long painful beats that reverberated with each echo of the pipe. Closer… closer… closer…

No!

If it weren't for the sudden shower of rocks that pelted against him, if it weren't for the cracking sound of the pipe hitting the ground, Feliciano might not have realized what had happened at all. As it was, his mind was miles behind his body, racing to try to catch up with the situation. His body, however, didn't seem to need his head at the moment.

He'd scrambled out of the way at the last moment, a desperate frantic lunge that'd sent him tumbling and rolling down the slope of the ridge. A few failed attempts at gaining his footing were going to leave Feliciano's legs covered in bruises and scratches, but in contrast to a fractured and crushed skull, it seemed a more than favorable alternative.

With shaking gasping breaths, Feliciano spun, staring back at his attacker from a distance that seemed impossibly great for the amount of time that had passed, and it was beyond him how he'd created such a gap so very quickly. That didn't matter now though, all that mattered was that there was space… he had a tiny pocket of safety between him and the other man.

Ludwig's pistol was still clutched tightly in his hand, the muscles of his hand having cramped in their constricted curl about the firearm. Feliciano didn't fire it though, nor did he level it at his attacker. No… his little lunge and roll had sent his body crashing and collapsing onto his wounded arm, tearing it from the sling and disrupting the stitched wound. Blood was already quickly seeping out to stain his uniform. He cradled it as well as he could, the gun pressed against him as he took unsteady steps backwards.

As his attacker stood and straightened, bringing his pipe up to be held in both hands, the Italian noticed a look of mild concern and confusion pass over his face. He took one step towards Feliciano, yet stopped, tilting his head as if he were a bird considering a very tasty yet foreign crumb. "Oh? Now how did you get over there little one?" The man seemed as if he were talking to puppy that'd gotten lost under a bed. "It is rare for me to miss…"

It was a wonder Feliciano wasn't hyperventilating with how quickly he gasped in air, short rushed breaths making a horrid rasping and panting sound as he continued to back away and down the ridge. Perhaps in his head he should have known the folly of this, but at the moment he was trapped in the grips of tunnel vision. All he could see and comprehend was the man with the pipe; all he could see was the towering behemoth of a man.

His attacker didn't seem to be suffering the same diminished attention. Feliciano watched him turn his head, the shifting of his body and the taking of steps alerting the Italian to the fact that he'd just been abandoned as a target. Before Feliciano could try to take in the situation, the man with the pipe called down towards him in a rather sing song voice. "Francis… you will take care of him, da~? I'm going to play with Yao!"

Arms wrapped about Feliciano in that instant, and he jerked his head and body, both trying to escape and see just who it was that held him. His teeth were clenched as a pained wince and groan laced through him, the man's grip pressing tightly onto his wound, making his eyes spot in pain. It was the wavy haired blond. While he didn't seem overly strong, he still seemed to hold the advantage over Feliciano in strength and position. The Italian squirmed fiercely, unable to do anything with the gun trapped as he was.

"Now now, don't struggle, you'll only hurt yourself. You should be thankful Ivan has left you to me. Now hold still!" The grip about him became tighter, and for a moment he gasped out in pain. His eyes watered and he shut them against the sting. He felt the man press against him closer in a way that sent a very unpleasant shiver up his spine. Was he being… was he being groped? "You're luckier than your friends up there…"

Feliciano forced his eyes open and looked up the ridge, horrified at the sights above him. _'Ludwig! Kiku!'_ He began to struggle again with renewed vigor.

x x x

Ludwig brought the butt of his rifle up just in time to block another swing of the dark haired man's wok, a crack resounding from the impact. The blond man grit his teeth and pushed back, struggling to gain some distance between himself and his agile attacker. It'd been infuriating the way the man had managed to dodge all of his shots, and the German man was left wondering if it was thanks to some sort of physical Quality. Ludwig was more than a fair shot with his rifle, he should have hit.

Now wasn't really the time to brood over that though, for not only did he have the dark haired man to contend with, but the man with the pipe had joined the fight as well. It was difficult enough fending off the Asian attacker, the additional foe left Ludwig at a severe disadvantage. His rifle, sturdy as it was, was not meant to be used in intense melee. If he wasn't careful the firearm would be ruined.

For a split second he had a moment to worry over the fate of Feliciano, but that second passed too quickly. He dodged to the ground and rolled, curling in a defensive somersault to avoid a pipe to the head. It didn't look bloody, and the German would take that as a hopeful sign.

The wok swung down at him almost the moment after the pipe missed, and Ludwig could only bring his arm up to block this particular blow. He needed to shift his weight, gain his feet again, before he'd be able to try to retreat away from the attacking duo. Gritting his teeth, the German absorbed the blow, caring only to make certain the cookware came against him in a matter that wouldn't break his bone. Thanks to his Quality, he'd be able to largely ignore any pain of the wound, but a broken bone would handicap him all the same.

Rushing forward with a yell, the German charged straight at the Asian, trying to take this moment to break the momentum of the fight. He wasn't the swiftest man alive, but he was certain the man in the scarf wasn't as fast as him. If he could just hinder the dark haired one enough to slow him…

'_Yes!'_ His tackle wasn't a complete success, but the stumble and grunt of pain from the Asian man was music to Ludwig's ears. Pushing forward with all of his strength, Ludwig sought to run. He could hear his two attackers coming after him, one already running and the other trying to get up to do so. It was just enough of a break for Ludwig to dash ahead and spin, bringing his rifle up. Moving as he was the shot wasn't going to be his most accurate, but dead aim wasn't his goal at the moment.

A hit would be an utter bonus and a godsend, but what he really needed was to force the two onto defense. He needed space; he needed his enemies to falter in the onslaught. The rifle sang out, loud and clear, and fortune seemed to smile on him. With a yell the Asian stumbled back, the shoulder of his uniform tearing as the bullet cut a shallow wound across the skin beneath. It wasn't a debilitating hit, but it served his purpose. It caused the Asian to stop advancing, and the pipe wielder to slow.

"You are a better shot than your friend," came a childish voice, the pale giant musing as if they were on a playground and not a battlefield. Ludwig resisted the urge to look for Feliciano, not letting the other bait him into anything. He watched as the pipe was twirled about carelessly, almost like a baton. "I wonder how many shots you have left, da? You missed Yao quite a bit, even with your aim."

Nothing in Ludwig's expression changed at the jab, at the accusation and threat. He'd been trained not to give anything away on the battlefield, neither fear nor elation. Neither worry nor confidence. He kept his face unreadable, lessening the impact of the other's mind games. Ludwig _did_ need to reload. He wasn't empty, but his shots were severely limited. To be quite frank, he couldn't afford to miss if he had to fire on the both of them. He'd have to take them down cleanly or finish them in melee if he couldn't get the chance to reload.

"I think I like you," came that childish voice again, though something in it was dropping, letting on to just a bit of the man behind this strange mask. The pipe stopped twirling for a moment, brought to rest over one shoulder for a moment. "I think I would like it if you became our friend… it could tip the balance in our alliance to have you, too. You would like to become one with Clan Russia, yes?"

"Ivan…" Yao stated, his voice only slightly tinged with the pain from the stinging bullet graze. There was a warning in his voice as well, as if this weren't a topic that should be brought up lightly. He was on his feet again, walking towards Ludwig, dark eyes seeking out an opening, waiting alert for another fire of the rifle.

"Hmm?" Ivan hummed out, so sweetly it was sickening. "Oh, of course… become a part of our Alliance, da. What do you say? We will take good care of your clan if you join us." There was something in the way the man spoke of the Alliance that made it seem… suspect.

His hands holding the rifle tight, arms feeling a slight burn from keeping it raised and ready, Ludwig narrowed his eyes. "I decline," he said firmly. Whether or not the offer had been genuine, the German man could see through the words and the supposedly sunny suggestion. To 'become one' with another clan… to merge with it… his clan knew very well what that meant. It was the loss of identity; it was the end of the Clan… just not the people. It was the destruction of traditions and culture. It was everything his brother had hated.

He didn't have the authority to make such a deal for his clan, but he would have refused to merge regardless. Ludwig would not sentence his people into servitude, would not make them second class members of a clan they knew very little about. Ludwig was proud to be in Clan Germany, and he'd go to his grave defending it from any sort of threat, supposedly benign or not.

"You will change your mind," the Russian said, as if it was the most obvious truth of the world. Seconds after the words met the air, the pair attacked Ludwig again.

x x x

"Damn… hold still… ow!" Kiku brought his sword around in an arc, slicing into the arm of the overconfident American before deftly lunging back and away. He'd been playing a game of cat and mouse with the blond ever since he'd failed to stop him from climbing to the top of the ridge. He should have kept a better eye on the man with the chair… should have expected him to intervene. He'd never seen such an antique looking gun, and though he was quite frankly shocked it could fire at all, it'd done the trick. The shot had been timed perfectly to allow the American up.

Kiku watched his opponent reach up to grab at his arm, pressing at the wound with a small wince before pulling a bloody hand back to stare at. Though the Japanese man wanted to rush forward, take advantage of this situation, the clicking of that antique gun kept him at bay. It was vexing to deal with two opponents, especially these two. While the American was brash and in his face, aggressive and unrelenting, the other man was cool and collected, waiting for every opening to fire he could get, looking to take advantage of any situation he could. It was an effective combination even if the personalities seemed a bit disfunctional.

The American wiped the blood off on his pants before cracking his knuckles, apparently catching his breath before he'd go after Kiku again. Dark eyes watched the blond with a frown, the Japanese man deeply troubled and unnerved even if he didn't show it. _'Just what sort of man tries to fight barehanded against someone with a sword? Does he really not care about his own safety?'_ The irrational behavior, as Kiku saw it, was somewhat frightening. It went against his nature to do something so recklessly foolish.

He'd cut the other man… so it wasn't as though the blond knew he was immune to the edge of the blade. Despite the punches and grabs the American had been trying to get in, he was dodging the sword. It was like there was just enough common sense peppered into the youth to keep him alive. Perhaps more than anything though… the chatter the blond kept sending his way was distressing to the soft spoken Kiku.

"Hey come on… are you gonna tell me your name or not?" Kiku let out a soft breath, eyes flicking away for a moment. He really didn't want to get to know this man in any way… but it was sort of rude to keep refusing to offer his name.

"I…" Before he could mutter any vague excuses that would essentially mean 'no', the American's mouth was moving again.

"I mean hey, the hero needs to know who he defeated, right? I mean I can come up with a name for you, like… like… 'The Silent Slicer' or something… but that's not so cool because then to tell the story right I need to have an alias… whoa! Actually that sounds awesome! Who should I be? Hey hey Artie!" The blond turned around completely, as if he _wasn't_ in the middle of a fight with a man with a _sword_. Oh if only Kiku's honor would allow him to attack the man's back! As it was, if it weren't a matter of self preservation, he wouldn't be engaging an unarmed man at all.

The other man scowled fiercely, and Kiku swore he could see the other bristle. Taking careful slow steps to the side, he used the situation to both even his breathing and try to find an advantage.

"Alfred! How many times must I tell you not to call me that?" The accenting to the man's voice was obvious, but it'd been so long since the Clans had all associated with each other that the Japanese man couldn't place it.

"Aww, lighten up Artie… Arthur sounds way too stuffy… but anyway hey, what should my alias be? It's gotta be something heroic like… like… 'Captain Super Hero Freedom Man' or something! Maybe add 'the Amazing' to the front of it…" Kiku's steps faltered, an uncomfortable embarrassment settling onto his chest and his features. Oh he wasn't embarrassed for himself… he was embarrassed _for Alfred_. He let out a tiny sigh. _'Honestly… did he really just say that? Is he actually serious?'_ If Feliciano had opened Kiku's eyes to a world of strange human behavior, this blond here was showing him another planet full.

Artie… or rather Arthur, seemed to sag a bit, as if completely and utterly ashamed to be associated with Alfred. Considering the man was carrying around an antique chair on his back, Kiku found this to be rather ironic. Not that he would point such a thing out. As if trying to compose his temper, Arthur leveled his gaze firmly on Alfred.

"Listen, we can discuss your 'very important' concerns over your heroic alias after this battle is over, yes? Alright?" The sarcasm dipped off the statement, yet missed Alfred completely. It was like watching a very frazzled parent attempt to rationalize with a very spoiled four year old. It was, in a way, fascinating to Kiku. He didn't let it distract him however; edging his body by the smallest of steps, working to keep a good line of attack on Alfred while conveniently turning him into cover from Arthur's gun. It almost seemed too good to be true.

"Ok!" Alfred piped up, his voice pleased as a peach as he turned back around. Kiku lunged forward in time with the American's attack.

x x x

Feliciano kept up his struggles against the blond, watching the twin battles happening at the top of the ridge and grateful for every moment that his allies remained unharmed. He knew he needed to get up there and help… if he could turn even one of the one-on-two battles into a two-on-two, he'd feel better. If he could just get free, just free his arm even. Then he could shoot, then he could do something.

'_Run… run away… that's what you need to do.'_ That voice in the back of his head was maddening, actually infuriating Feliciano the more it dug about in his mind. He was starting to really hate this inner voice, this voice that would have him abandon his friends. Abandon people who'd saved him, who watched his back. He fought against the voice, no matter how much it seemed to almost exert a physical pull over him to obey. No running, no running.

"You really must calm yourself… your arm is surely in pain, isn't it?" His captor's voice was whispered right into his ear, causing a shiver to run through his body. This man… what was with this man? It was setting off a million different warning bells in Feliciano's mind, each with the same conclusion that he needed to get away from him as swiftly as possible! The low chuckle that slid across his ear was rather foreboding, and the Italian tried to lean his head away from it. "There's a way to make this much easier on you…"

"Just let me go! I have to help-" The words died on the air the moment he felt them, the moment he felt lips press upon the skin of his neck. It was like having ice water dumped on him, crashing down over him and leaving him suddenly numb and chilled. Going rigid, it wasn't just the fact that Feliciano didn't want to accept being kissed by this man that paralyzed him. Something else… something else was happening. Something hot was starting to spread from the point of the kiss, seeping out, washing away the freezing feeling and replacing it with something else. He still… he still couldn't move though.

The arms around him relaxed, and the Italian felt his knees buckle as he sank down to the ground. As he stared up at his attacker he could almost swear the man looked like a monster, staring at him with such unrestrained lechery it was horrifying. That repulsive face was masked moments later though, a suave countenance replacing it as the man knelt down before him. He reached out with a hand, petting the Italian's face. "What… what did you…" Feliciano's voice was failing him.

The man grinned at him, a devilish sparkle in his eye. "My Quality… is it not wonderful? Ah, the beautiful spread of amour… you feel it don't you?" Feliciano's eyes widened, panic on his face. He moved his lips, trying to find words, to make sense of this. The man leaned in closer. "With but a kiss to your lips… I'll have you forever… my darling little love slave… ah ah… don't tremble so. While I find it adorable… there's no reason to fear me. I promise you'll never find a better lover…"

Could a man leaning in for a kiss possibly look any more sinister than this? Feliciano didn't think so! The sweat all but running down his face, the Italian struggled desperately to get his body to move. Whether or not the kiss would place him under some sort of spell, the Italian was _not_ interested in a kiss from this man period! Closer and closer that face got, and it was like some sort of parody of the slow motion he'd felt when the pipe was coming for him. Summoning forth his will, Feliciano was able to curl away, trying to pull to his knees to crawl away.

His vision was starting to swim though, from pain and the seeping of his wound. Gritting his teeth though, he kept on pushing to escape, even when he felt the weight of his enemy on his back. The man was trying to crush him down, pin him, and Feliciano let out a whine as he kept trying to crawl away. He had to escape. For the pride of Clan Italy! To make Ludwig and Kiku proud! For… for his _own_ pride!

"Just hold still you little… just let Francis give you a kiss…" The man grabbed his arm, a dirty trick, squeezing his wound fiercely. Feliciano let out a wail.

"No! Let go… get off…" He took in gasping breaths, crawling and clawing at the sharp stones and rubble beneath them. Dimly he was aware that he must have dropped Ludwig's pistol somewhere, and the disoriented urge to stop everything to find it filtered through his mind. He shook his head, clearing the thought away and focusing on escape. But his vision was shaking now… the ground and the world was starting to vibrate and jump, pebbles rattling and…

Wait… the ground really _was_ shaking! The Italian stopped trying to crawl, and as he did so even the man on his back seemed to stop molesting him. Indeed, he felt the weight lifted as the man sat back, kneeling and looking about. Feliciano stared about, noticing a massive cloud of dust approaching them all swiftly. Coming with it was a deep terrible rumble, and though for a moment he thought it might be a sand storm coming their way there was something decidedly off.

All of the battles on the ridge died down, everyone's attention suddenly on this terrible rumbling that was growing louder, coming closer and closer. No one relaxed of course, weapons still held ready, bodies poised and ready to dodge for cover if this was indeed a storm. Those higher on the ridge were in a better position to peer at the coming onslaught, but the thick cover of disrupted dirt and sand made everything too much of a jumble to really see.

The sound was starting to become more distinct though, some beginning to recognize it as mechanical. It wasn't until the first shots were fired on them all that it became clear what was happening.

"Everybody down!" Ludwig's voice roared over the noise, though his command need hardly be shouted. As the bullets rushed at them people leapt for cover, crouching or hitting the dirt beneath them to avoid the bullets. A cry of pain sounded out, and Feliciano looked quickly up the ridge, terrified it might be one of his friends. It turned out to be the American who'd been hit, the man apparently not quick enough in taking cover. His hand went to his side, and the Italian couldn't tell at all how severe of a wound it might be.

Instead he pressed down into the ground as well as he could, covering his head with his good arm, holding his breath and staring out at the danger rushing after them. The rumbling was being caused by vehicles, something Feliciano and his allies had only come across in ruined heaps and hulks. These ones were rusting and heavy, and though the Italian wouldn't know it, they were relics of militaries long past. They roared towards them, the forward assault to the figures running along after them. As they got closer he let out a gasp. _Clanless_… they had that disfigured look of the ones who'd attacked and ruined Clan Liechtenstein and Switzerland!

"Alfred, get down you idiot!" Arthur was shouting at the American clansman, the blond still holding his side yet standing tall. There was a wild look to his eyes, face a strained cross between a manic smile and a feral snarl. The gunfire still rained over the ridge, everyone pinned in place as the new threat got closer and closer.

"Not them again…" Feliciano turned his head, staring at Francis huddled down near him. The blond was scowling, a strained look on his face. _'No… not just strained… scared!'_ The realization came all at once. So their enemies had faced off against the clanless ones before? Maybe the situation wasn't so hopeless then.

The clanless ones pulled up to a stop, the foot soldiers rushing forward, flanking the vehicles. Some stood, a wide variation of firearms in their hands. Others kneeled, prepared to shoot or provide cover. They didn't surround the eight on the ridge, merely drawing a battle line as if they were an execution squad. There was the chance to escape the gunfire over the sheer side of the ridge, but it'd be a dangerous drop if one didn't have proper footing.

It was also far far from Feliciano, who was at the sloped base of the ridge with the French clansman.

Silence didn't fall over the battlefield, but the noise certainly dimmed to only the idle sounds of the vehicles. From his position at the top of the ridge, Ludwig scowled, using this chance to reload his rifle and assess the new threat. There were far too many enemies, all well armed and ready for them. There was only meager cover on the ridge, nothing they could use to barricade against a directed attack. His eyes swept about for the positions of his allies. Kiku was safe, very near the sheer edge of the ridge, crouched low. Feliciano's position was perilous, but thankfully the Italian was staying down.

'_Good Feliciano… stay put… just stay down and still...'_ It was too much to hope that the Italian would be overlooked completely, but if he stayed down and still he might evade the notice of the attackers for now. With any luck the Frenchman would draw their attention instead.

The situation _seemed_ hopeless, even to Ludwig's mind. He ran strategy after strategy through his mind, but you couldn't ignore the obvious. Though the most probable outcome would depress most, this didn't make the German afraid. No, it made his blood boil; it made his determination burn brighter and fiercer. Retreat was always an option to consider… but victory was always preferred. _'If I can use the other five to create an opportunity for us to escape…'_ Perhaps it could be seen as a heartless train of thought, but there was no doubt in Ludwig's mind their enemies would do the same in a heartbeat. _'Therefore… I need to use _them_ first.'_

It was strange that they weren't being fired on now, though. After the rain of fire before, it would have been a small matter to advance swiftly and gun them all down now that they were so close. It made the German cautious, made him careful about calling any commands to Kiku or Feliciano. He was weighing the situation… and so was the enemy. Their newest foes had no true reason to be so overly cautious… which brought just one thought to his mind. _'This is a trap… they're waiting for something…'_ Ludwig was determined to avoid playing into their hands. He remembered all too well the carnage of the attacked clan sanctuaries. These were not merciful opponents… they were not the sort to take prisoners.

"Who the hell are all of you?" Kiku's eyes widened, staring incredulously at the American who was _still_ standing! Was he really so stupid and foolish to both avoid taking cover _and_ antagonize the enemy when clearly overwhelmed? The Japanese man bit his lower lip, knowing it wasn't his place to try to still the rash young man. Still, his brows pulled close in vexation. The actions of _anyone_ on the ridge could cause the situation to become volatile. Kiku had allies to watch over… one in a very precarious position. He focused on the American.

'_If he does anything too foolish… I'll be forced to act.'_ Even if it brought the attentions of their enemy upon him, Kiku would gladly sacrifice himself for his comrades. So long as Ludwig and Feliciano made it to continue on the Journey, it would have been a worthwhile death. To die for his Clan, to die for his allies. There was no shame in that. His blood would be spilled for a proper reason. His grip tightened on his blade, body tensing to take action as the loudmouth with glasses started to stalk down the hill.

"Are you more of those bastards, huh?" Alfred's voice could certainly project, and all eyes seemed forced to stare at him as he continued to stride right towards their enemy.

"Alfred, stop it! Get down and shut up!" Arthur hissed at him fiercely, fearful agitation in his tone. The American seemed to ignore him completely, continuing down as if he couldn't hear the Englishman. "I said get down you git! Stop it! You bloody wanker stop!"

As if in direct rebellion of the words, the American clansman started to run. There was a look of pure aggression shining out of his eyes, the one cracked lens obscuring one of the fevered blue orbs. He started to charge at the line of their attackers, apparently not at all unnerved by the fact that none were firing. His feet carried him down the ridge, and he was just moving past Feliciano and Francis (who made a futile grab at his pant leg as he went by) when apparently clan England's representative had had enough.

Rising to his feet, Arthur's voice rang out loud and clear, piercing above everything else. _"BOW YOUR HEAD, AMERICA!"_ The very air seemed to reverberate with the command, the sheer authority in the voice oppressive.

As if control of his limbs had suddenly been ripped from him, Alfred's body jerked and twitched for a moment, completely stopping his run. Indeed his head suddenly dipped, bowing as his body dropped into a kneeling crouch. He shook though; he shook visibly from the sheer effort he was no doubt using to regain control of his limbs. His eyes went wide, completely in shock, confused and even terrified by what had just happened. For a moment he stared at the ground, utterly baffled, before a seething rage darkened his blue eyes. Straining he looked over his shoulder at Arthur, the man staring down at him defiant and smug.

"You should have simply listened to me, brat." His voice had lost that edge to it, that power. It hadn't, however, seemed to break the spell over the American.

"Damn it… and here I thought we'd bag him nice and easy!" A new voice cut through the air, putting tense individuals further on guard. A laugh spread through the air, a guttural feel to it that Ludwig found immediately familiar. His stomach churned, heart giving a painful skip. _'Impossible… right?'_ "Kesesese… he really is just as stupid as he told us. He would have been useful. How dare you foil my awesome trap!"

Coming around the back of one of the vehicles was a rather motley crew indeed. Three men strode forward, three men and some sort of beast. One of the men had brown hair and green eyes, an easy expression on his face, a carefree smile that belied the situation. He had his arm wrapped around one of the other men, in an embrace that looked both intimate and trapping. A tan survival uniform adorned his body, his body that looked unchanged and healthy. His body that showed he couldn't possibly be one of the clanless, free of mutations as he was.

"L-Lovino!" Feliciano couldn't believe his eyes, couldn't seem to cope with and sort out the sudden torrent of emotions that crashed into him at the sight. His brother… Lovino… Lovino! He was here! What was he doing here? He looked grumpy and surly as ever, he didn't seem like he liked the man holding him at all and yet… yet… he didn't really look like he was trying to escape. He didn't look like a hostage either! Feliciano experienced so much in those moments, from relief to worry to confusion to pure elation. His eyes watered… no matter what… seeing his brother again was a much welcomed treat.

"Feliciano! Stupid little brother… what the hell happened to you? Are you hurt? What the hell? Weren't they looking after you? I bet that fucking potato bastard from Clan Germany shoved you into something dangerous, didn't he?" With the venom that Lovino spat out about Ludwig, you'd almost assume he'd at least met the man before, which he hadn't. However, instantly he'd seemed to become a beacon for Lovino's rage at seeing his brother in such a wounded state.

"B-But… brother…" The Italian didn't have a chance to speak further, for suddenly Ludwig's voice rose above him, almost mirroring his words.

"Brother?" Ludwig couldn't believe it… it couldn't be him… could it? It wasn't simply the fact that his clan had told him he was dead… the man standing before him… was it his brother?

Dressed in a patchwork of clothes and old uniforms, the man standing at the front of the pack had pale skin. On one arm he wore some sort of mechanical device, fitted on his hand and forearm like a glove. The skin around it looked burned and scarred. The man's eyes were a piercing unnatural red… his hair the white color of snow. Ludwig shook his head… this couldn't be right. Yes… Gilbert had always been pale but his eyes… his hair… it'd been the same blond and blue as Ludwig's! The features were the same… or rather… as close to the brother he'd lost all those years ago as could be.

A wide arrogant grin broke over the albino's face, the man leaning back to drape an arm around the beast that followed him like a trained dog. It was a bird of some sort, a great yellow ostrich type of bird. It had a reptilian tail, but overall was fluffy and rather graceful looking. It rested a fluffy yellow head on the man's. Locking eyes with Ludwig, the albino seemed amused. "How's it goin' _West?_ Looks like they really did send ya out on that stupid little death march eh? Kesese…"

West… he'd called him West. Ludwig's head felt suddenly light, a pounding behind his temples chasing all his thoughts into shambles. It was Gilbert… it had to be. No one else would use that silly childhood nickname on him… no one. The German man brought a hand to his head, struggling to deal with this sudden revelation. His brother was alive… he hadn't died. The clan had lied to him… lied… why? And Gilbert… leading the clanless? Leading these savage murderers? His brother had always been wild and reckless… but this? This? This couldn't be his brother! "Gilbert… what… what is the meaning of this? What are you-"

"Hey, I know you must have a lot of questions for the awesome me… but now's really not the time. I know it's easy to forget the situation when basking in my pure awesome, but don't worry West! You're comin' with me… and I'll let you be around me as much as you want! I know you missed me!" With that Gilbert turned his attention away from Ludwig, casting a look at the American still on his knees. "We're just here to take this guy's…" he gestured over his shoulder, but faltered when he noticed he wasn't pointing at anyone. "Huh… wait… where'd he go?"

He was greeted with a varied chorus of 'who's. Stunned only for a moment, he shook it off. "Whatever… we just want to nab that guy there and now you and Lovino's lil bro. We didn't expect to run into your bunch too! Keseses, I'm so awesome it just happened! So just sit tight and let us take who we need to."

"But Alfred belongs to us, da? Why should we give him to you?" The Russian clansman smiled pleasantly, tapping his pipe in his hands.

"Indeed. Besides, if all you wanted to do was take him, you wouldn't have opened fire on us like that aru." The representative from Clan China stood next to Ivan, the pair of them staring down the albino. Though they showed it strangely, each seemed extremely upset with the situation. Gilbert laughed at their concerns.

"Well I won't deny that we wouldn't have minded taking you all down… after all, even the awesome me needs to be careful to grab as many supplies as possible. Besides…" he sneered at them all. "I like a good fight."

The smile on Ivan's face seemed to grow mild and soft, as if he was wonderfully pleased. The aura about him, however, seemed almost so black it was so menacing. "I would love to oblige you with that… come here and we'll have fun, da? Let us become great friends…"

Chaos erupted. Guns were fired again and everyone started to spring into action. There was so much yelling, so much noise. Feliciano almost couldn't make heads or tails of it. He tried to see what his allies were doing, he tried to see what Lovino was doing… he tried not to get shot! He ducked and flinched as bullets raced about, as people rushed about, as clanless mutants flooded at them. "Ludwig! Kiku! Lovino!" His voice didn't seem able to pierce the calamity, no matter how much he strained.

He rose to his feet, desperate to do something… find someone… anything. A hand gripped his shoulder tightly, spinning him around. He held his breath until he saw who it was. "Ludwig… you're ok! Where's-"

"Run Feliciano!" Ludwig shoved him away almost as quickly as he'd grabbed him. The Italian stumbled, shocked.

"W-What?" Run away? Now? But Kiku wasn't there with them and Lovino was with those others! He opened his mouth to protest when the German shouted at him again. He was so fierce, so terrifying, Feliciano was forced to obey.

"Run, escape! We'll unite again, no GO!" He gave Feliciano another shove before charging away, back into the fray. The Italian almost followed him in before that voice in his head was back. _'Now it's ok… now it's an order… run… run away… go!'_ Submitting to the urge at last, Feliciano fled. Swiftly his legs carried him away, the sounds of the confrontation fading away quickly. He ran and ran, heart pounding and eyes stinging.

It wasn't until the world was silent around him, until he'd come to a small ruined gas station, that he finally collapsed into a panting exhausted heap. He hid himself inside the remains of the building, a heap on the floor as he gasped and choked in air. He couldn't even feel his injured arm anymore, the pain having spread to rest in his chest and shoulder now. He ached… he ached so much… but it wasn't just a physical ache. His heart ached and throbbed, and with his one good hand he hit the ground.

"Why did I have to run? L-Ludwig… you didn't run too! Why did I have to?" A small bud of anger bloomed in his gut, anger at the German for forcing him away. For treating him as worthless. The moment the anger spread though it was replaced by guilt. He shouldn't condemn Ludwig for this… he knew the man was just looking out for him. Huddling up in the building, Feliciano's mind raced as it was overwhelmed.

Lovino… what was Lovino doing up here and with those men? What was going on… were Ludwig and Kiku alright? Hanging his head, the Italian knew there were no answers for him here. _'I… I can't just wait… I have to…'_ Chewing on his lip, a new thought entered his head. He _had_ escaped… which meant that he… he could…

"I can rescue them… I can go save them…" As long as one of them was free, there was hope. Granted, Feliciano wasn't sure just _how_ he could save the others… but… but. "I'll do it… this must be what Ludwig was trusting for me to do!"

His stomach turned and flipped in fear, such heroics certainly not something that came naturally to him. However… however… the Italian would do it. Leaning against the wall and slipping his eyes shut, Feliciano tried to get some rest. Rushing straight back there… it wouldn't do any good. As it was, pure adrenaline was probably the only thing keeping him moving at all at this point. His exhaustion was quick to pull him down, and he fell into a fitful slumber filled with worst case scenarios.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

So… how many of you thought I'd abandoned this fic? Forgive me? I know it's been nearly two months but I really have been working on it pretty diligently (meaning many deleted drafts of this). Terribly _terribly_ sorry it took so long to get out. I promise I'll shoot my foot if the next one takes this long.

This chapter didn't come out ANYTHING like I'd imagined it would… I won't bore you all with my rant on the differences. I'll just get to work on the next one, eh? I think all of our players have entered the story now in some form, did you catch them all?

Oh right. There are some rather bland pieces of character art I've done for this fic up on my deviantArt account (grab the link to my homepage off my profile) if you're interested. Just America, Canada, and Prussia so far.


	7. Chapter 7

The sun had fallen from the sky by the time Feliciano awoke, his eyes fluttering open through deep exhaustion and lethargy. He truly hadn't meant to sleep so late, and if he'd been more alert on waking he would have berated himself for the loss of the day. _Anything_ could have happened to Kiku and Ludwig while he slumbered in safety, they might have been taken so very far away he'd never find them now. His sleep addled head, perhaps luckily, was not yet sharp enough to feel such remorse.

To be surrounded by walls, to have woken inside a building and not a tent, fueled his disorientation. For a few dreamy moments he thought he was back in his Clan Sanctuary, back at home and back in a time before Journeys and Qualities and enemy Clans. Back before he'd witnessed the remains of a massacre with his own eyes, before he'd suffered an injury this severe to his arm. Back when nothing was ever asked of him and he was naïve enough to think that ok.

His mind tried to clear the delusion with common sense, pointing out that he was propped in a corner, seated on the floor. Why would he be in such a state at home? Why would he not be in his bed, or at the very least why would Lovino not be here to yell at him for falling out of bed or some nonsense? _'Ah… Lovino…'_ The spell of security was starting to slip, falling further when he noticed his wounded arm was being tended to. The jacket of his survival uniform had been removed, and he'd somehow become stripped down to shirtless altogether.

Something was moving his arm, touching it and wrapping it with fresh white gauze.

There was also a stuffed bear floating in front of his face.

Feliciano let out a scream, body jerking back into the wall behind him, a grunt escaping his lips from the force of it. Oh he was waking up quickly now, but it wasn't helping. A bear… a floating bear? When the heck had aged white stuffed bears with a loose button eye started floating around at people. "V-Ve~ Please don't hurt me mister bear! I'm sorry for invading your home!"

As absurd as it was to apologize to a stuffed animal, the Italian felt it was completely justified in the current situation. He tried to edge away but noticed that whatever was trying to bandage his arm wasn't letting him go.

"Kumamaru won't hurt you…" came a soft voice, very close to the Italian. "And… umm… p-please stop moving so much… you'll make your arm worse again…"

Looking about in bewilderment at the sudden voice, Feliciano caught a glimpse of the man helping him, jolted by how close he was. How in the world had he not noticed someone right in front of his face, holding onto his arm even? Staring at the man, Feliciano was regarded with blond hair, eyes shaded by glasses that had one lens cracked terribly…

"Eh… eh… VE! Uwaaah! You! N-N-Noooo! Don't hurt me!" Oh god oh god it was the insanely strong blond from the battlefield. Oh god he'd caught up to him, he was going to kill him. "Noooo! What did you do to Ludwig and Kiku! I-If you hurt them!" Oh sure, maybe he wasn't the sort who could seriously threaten anyone, but Feliciano was filled with dread thinking that his allies had fallen in the fray. He was supposed to save them… he was supposed to—

"Please! C-Calm down…" The blond seemed to fidget and withdraw, clutching his stuffed bear tightly to his chest as he watched the auburn haired man panic. "I'm not Alfred! I'm not here to h-harm you… please please calm down…" There was a rather bitter undercurrent in the words, centered around the moment the blond had needed to clarify he wasn't the American representative. Feliciano opened his mouth to protest the words when slowly he started to notice the differences.

High on the list were violet eyes… hair soft and wavy and falling to his chin. The attire was different too… a fur trimmed survival coat over the uniform rather than that dark brown bomber jacket. Feliciano took in the goggles propped up like a headband… looked at the ratty old bear, and began to calm down in subtle margins. "Where… where were you when I woke up?" Feliciano cocked his head to the side like a confused kitten. "When did you get here?"

"I was right in front of you when you woke," the blond sighed out morosely with a resigned bow of his head. Shaking it off, as if it happened all the time, he shrugged his shoulders and gave the Italian a shy smile. "I got here a little while ago." Violet eyes shifted to the side, a twitch at the corner of his lips so slight it was lost on the Italian. "You… you run rather quickly, eh? I couldn't keep up with you at all… and it took me a while to find you."

"You…" Feliciano hesitated, swallowing slowly. "You were there? At the ridge?" The Italian really couldn't remember seeing him… but once the clanless had shown up, well, there'd been a lot of people there.

The blond nodded, moving forward calmly to finish wrapping and securing Feliciano's bandage again now that the Italian was calm and still. The 'floating' stuffed bear sat in his lap as he worked. "I was there…"

"But I didn't see you," Feliciano had to pipe up, and the blond just gave a wan soft smile. Fear twisted in Feliciano's gut despite the reassuring expression, wondering if this was an enemy, wondering if he was still in danger.

"No one ever does." The bandage in place, the man sat back, holding up Feliciano's shirt. It actually looked like the man had taken the opportunity to try and clean and mend it, and the Italian offered up his thanks quickly. Enemy or no, this man seemed polite, seemed like he was willing to treat him well even if they ended up on opposite sides.

He was helped back into his clothes before a new sling was offered him, followed shortly by food. It perked the Italian up wonderfully, and by the dim light of a small fluorescent travel lamp the two enjoyed a small dinner. There wasn't a lot of small talk really, both spending most of the meal watching the other, as if weighing what to do. _'Well… silence won't solve anything…'_ Feliciano took a breath and spoke up.

"So… what's your name, and your clan? Y-You're not… you're not clanless are you?" A hint of worry was in the Italian's voice, because though he really didn't want to think the man tending to him here could be dangerous (he certainly didn't seem to be), if he was clanless Feliciano would have to be extra careful. He knew what clanless could do.

The blond shook his head softly, and as he did Feliciano noticed a thin long curl that dangled before his face, almost like a thread. "I'm not clanless. I represent Clan Canada. I'm Matthew Williams. Pleased to meet you, Feliciano Vargas."

Surprised to hear his own name, Feliciano's eyes opened wide. His mouth parted slightly, and the other man gave a tiny shy laugh.

"I met your brother Lovino… I was helping him to find you along with the others." Violet eyes looked down for a moment, veiled by soft eyelashes, making the blond look vulnerable. Feliciano offered him a bright wide grin, a grin that only he could give, brimming with happiness.

"You were helping big brother to find me? When we're strangers, not even ally clans? Veeee…" He breathed out the sound softly, admiringly. "You're such a nice person to do so."

The Canadian held his stuffed bear tighter to his chest, snuggling his face into it softly, his voice muffled by the plush when he spoke. "Brothers shouldn't be separated," he whispered through the bear. Feliciano agreed very much. Violet eyes appraised Feliciano mildly before the blond sat up just a bit straighter. "You want to go to him, right? I can lead you back to him… I'd like to really…"

The suggestion was about as far from demanding as could be, giving Feliciano all the power to say yes or no as he saw fit. It was… it was a new experience for Feliciano to be met by someone who didn't seem inclined to take control of his actions. Not that Feliciano had issue with those who did. He rather enjoyed Germany's stern and strict schedule, liked the way Japan would prompt him so very politely to do this or that. In fact… most of his life people had told him what to do, even back in the Sanctuary. However… this was sort of nice. He felt a little in charge. _'If he wants to help me reunite with Lovino… then maybe he'd also be…'_

"U-Umm…" The Italian blinked… Matthew was gone again… where had he gone? There was just the floating bear again. Turning his head this way and that, Feliciano began to fret. "Matthew? Where did you go? Your bear is floating again~"

"I'm still right here Feliciano," the Canadian said, chagrined but far too polite to show any temper over it. Indeed he was still there… holding up the bear plush. It made the Italian blink in utter surprise. Petting the aged doll in his arms, Matthew shook his head. "If I didn't carry Kumahachi with me, no one would know where I was at all…"

The Italian hesitated for a moment… hadn't he called the bear something else? Only the first part had sounded the same. He dropped the notion, guessing he must have heard wrong the first time. The bear aside, the disappearing act was rather interesting. "Is that… is that your Quality? That's so neat!" Feliciano was of course sincere, thinking how much he wouldn't mind such an ability.

"You think so…? I suppose it could be… if I were better at stopping it maybe…" The Canadian peered into the Italian's eyes, once again hiding some of his face into the head of his plush doll. "Your Quality…"

Feliciano cut him off with a dramatic sigh. "I wish I could figure it out soon. Maybe then I could be as useful as Ludwig or Kiku." He let a little pout settle on his face, dreaming of all the wonderful and fantastic abilities he wished he had. _'Just imagine if I could make pasta appear out of nowhere!'_ Well, some of his ideas were more practical than others.

The blond looked surprised at the words, blinking a couple of times before smiling. There was something… a little weird in that smile, but Feliciano couldn't quite place it. If he'd only waited a bit longer to speak, he would have no doubt been treated to an idea he'd want to know.

The Canadian seemed to rethink his words though, something passing through his eyes that was hidden as he looked down to his bear for a moment. That timid smiled seemed to twitch, as though keeping something in. "I'm sure your Quality will be very useful." Matthew said it with such certainty that… well, it seemed difficult to doubt it. He gave an encouraging nod to the Italian, which Feliciano returned back.

"Well… so umm… I want to see Lovino again… but I… I need to save Ludwig and Kiku, too. The three of us have to complete The Journey… so… do you… would you be able to help me with that too?" He smiled hopefully at the Canadian, who raised his eyebrows and seemed to grow thoughtful. "I-I know it's asking a lot… you've done so much already, ve! It's just… I have to make sure they're safe soon."

"You're… n-not worried about your brother's safety?" The Canadian seemed clearly doubtful. He also seemed a bit upset at the idea, as if the Italian's answer was more important than Feliciano would realize.

In a gush of words and emotions punctuated by a frantic shaking of his head, Feliciano's speech flew from his lips. "Of course I am! I worry about him all the time! I don't know what I'd do if anything bad happened to him! But but it just really seemed… seemed like he was ok. I know when Lovino is scared and in trouble and he wasn't so I… I… I think that maybe I need to watch out for Ludwig and Kiku first."

The Canadian raised his eyebrows, taking in Feliciano's rush of words. He snuggled his bear again, turning his face so that only the cracked side of his glasses was visible. "You don't… worry that I'm just going to kidnap you? You don't think I'm an enemy at all?" The soft gentle voice still managed to set off some sort of warning in Feliciano's mind, but he couldn't quite place what the warning was.

Shifting his gaze to look up at the roof, the auburn haired youth was silent for a moment. Eventually a thoughtful hum vibrated through his throat as he looked down with wide eyes. Trusting eyes, yes, but perhaps not as blindingly innocent as they would have been before he'd started the Journey.

"You might be, I don't know. Maybe Ludwig would even be mad at me for going along with you but…" the two gazed into each other's eyes now, both faces smiling, and neither one of them looking even a bit dangerous. "But… you offered to take me to Lovino and no matter what happens next, that's one of my goals… right?" As if that seemed to explain everything Feliciano's eyes dipped into that squint of his, a complacent look on his face.

"After that I'll just have to figure things out… if you're an enemy and all. Besides, it's safer to travel with someone out there." He gave a shrug, smiling away. "You really don't seem like a bad guy though." He had no guarantees with the Canadian, he knew, but it was at least an option. It would get him going in a direction.

Matthew eyed Feliciano a bit more, and Feliciano was more than willing to wait for the other to make up his mind about this all. It really didn't take long before the Canadian leaned forward, plush bear still held tight. "Ok… I know what we should do."

Despite the confidence that lurked under Matthew's voice, the words still came out very quiet and hesitant. Feliciano had to lean in close, and the two looked very much like a couple of crooked conspirators. "I think we can get your brother and, probably, your German ally back at the same time… once we get there, and we'll see if your Japanese ally is there as well. If not…"

The Canadian nudged his glasses up higher on his face. "W-Well… I had some business to attend to… with those other five… here's the plan…"

x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x

Ludwig shifted his shoulders again, further testing and straining the ropes that bound him and kept him prisoner. They were still tight, not biting, but too strong for him to break or slip through. In all honesty, he hadn't expected to succeed in escaping the binds. His brother had tied them after all, and Ludwig knew the man to be as proficient with them as he. Where his brother was at the present moment was unclear, but the German doubted he'd have to wait for Gilbert's attention too much longer.

In the interim, he cast his eyes about the dark camp Gilbert's band of clanless had set up. He'd first sought out to identify where his gear (along with Feliciano and Kiku's) had been taken, wanting to know exactly where their precious belongings were at all times. He would need to grab them when he escaped for they had the precious information he needed as a Representative to successfully complete the Journey.

Oh yes, Ludwig had every intention of getting away from his brother and continuing on with his duty. His questions about just _what_ had happened burned fiercely in his mind, but if it came to a choice between reuniting with his brother and having a heart-to-heart _or_ escaping and fulfilling his duty to Clan Germany… then Ludwig would have to pick his Clan. He'd been raised to place his loyalty to his clan all his life; he'd been taught and drilled to set aside personal needs for the needs of his people.

He'd never really thought that he might have to though… he'd… never thought this sort of dilemma would come up. Trapped here as he was, waiting for an opening to escape, Ludwig had plenty of time to dwell on this, though his more rigid mind screamed he should remain vigilant at every moment. It wasn't that he was getting lost in thought, he was simply multitasking. Or so he rationalized for now.

He _did_ burn with curiosity and anxiety over his brother's current state. Oh he was glad, immensely relieved and still a bit dizzy over the fact that Gilbert was alive. He'd only been a young teen when Gilbert had supposedly died, and after so many years dealing with it, having that huge sadness and loss thrown in his face as a lie was disorienting.

He knew that he was happy to know his brother lived. Of course he was! But the questions it brought were maddening. The implications were endless, and without his brother here to shed light on the situation his mind was trapped in questioning darkness. Ludwig wasn't a man who liked sitting about without answers, loose ends never sat well with him.

One of the biggest questions in his mind right now… perhaps even brighter in his mind than wondering just how his brother had lived all these years… was about his dealings with the clanless. _'Brother… please… I have to know you did not commit the atrocities of Clan Liechtenstein… of Clan Switzerland.' _Ludwig knew, deep in his heart, that if Gilbert really had been responsible for those two attacks… then this man was not Gilbert. His brother would still be dead after all.

"I said stop touching me!" An irritated voice snapped Ludwig from his internal turmoil for a moment, drawing his cold blue eyes to a face so very similar to Feliciano. The resemblance was uncanny and a bit disturbing, for the attitude and disposition of this Italian seemed so contrary to the man Ludwig had been traveling with. It almost seemed wrong to see such irritability on a face that he was used to seeing bathed in happy smiles.

In silence he watched as Feliciano's brother shoved at another brunette, trying to drive the man away from him. The Italian looked so angry, as if at any moment he might actually head butt the other. The other man stepped back just enough to placate the Italian, a sunny smile on his face and easy laughter rolling off his tongue. He seemed almost stupidly carefree, this man. 'Seemed' being the operative word in Ludwig's mind.

The man's eyes locked to his own for just a moment before he turned back to Feliciano's brother. "Now now Lovi… I'm just making sure you're ok! You could have gotten hurt in all of that commotion."

"Commotion that ended hours ago you bastard! Injuries you've already checked me for!" His face flaming red, it seemed the shorter Italian couldn't deter the other brunette at all.

"I could have missed something," he said in a sing song voice, "So I should check again." As much as the words could have been taken the wrong way, the man really just seemed intent on checking for injuries, and the two continued to squabble. Ludwig frowned, wishing he knew just what clan that other man was from. Though you shouldn't judge someone by their clan, it would have at least been a starting point for assessing his potential enemy here.

"Damn, where the hell is Matthew?" Gilbert's angry voice soared above the little argument between the brunettes, effectively pummeling their voices to the ground in favor of his so much more important words. Ludwig's brother came striding forward, obviously aggravated and turning his head this way and that. He was greeted to blank and confused stares from the brunettes.

"Who?" They asked in tandem, which made the taller one smile and Feliciano's brother seethe with fury.

"Matthew!" Prussia said, making useless but no doubt vitally important gestures with his hands. "You know, the reason we were going after the American? Blond? Glasses? Polar bear doll? _Canadian?_" The pair just shook their heads and Gilbert tossed his hands in the air.

"I give up! He must have run off with his brother then. Whatever." He seemed to shrug it all off and focused his red eyes on Ludwig, coming to plop down on the rock and rubble right in front of him. "Hey, Antonio, take Lovino there somewhere else so the awesome me can have a chat with my brother here."

Antonio was about to comply when Lovino took an angry step forward. "Hey wait a minute; we still have to go after Feliciano! You bastard you promised—"

"Come come Lovi, Gilbert hasn't forgotten. Come on, we'll be going after him soon I'm certain." Antonio exchanged a smile with Gilbert that said, quite clearly, that he wasn't speculating and that he fully expected Gilbert to make good on his promise to the Italian. The snowy haired man just nodded, and waited until he was alone before focusing back to Ludwig.

"It's good to see you again, West. You sure did grow." His voice sounded as fond as his pride would allow it, for Gilbert had always been rather concerned with being tough and awesome and certainly not something like sentimental.

Though Ludwig's chest seized painfully, he was able to keep his voice even and steady. "You've changed quite a bit… brother."

This earned him a grating laugh from Gilbert, who shook his head and slapped a hand on Ludwig's shoulder. A strained look passed between the two, so many words to say, so many words they both refused to say. As the awkward silence between them seemed to stretch, that strange yellow ostrich bird came walking over, much like a dog that'd just found its master again. A beak pecked at Gilbert's head as the bird sank down, tucking its legs under its fluffy yellow body. Once settled, the bird left its head to sit on his brother's, who didn't seem to mind at all.

"Hey, so this is Gilbird," Gilbert introduced, now having an easy icebreaker. He reached out a hand to scratch at the bird's feathers affectionately, earning a strangely deep yet happy sound from the bird. "Found this little guy's egg about a week after I ended up on the surface… was gonna eat him but then he hatched before I could reach him. Obviously I could tell that he'd become a valuable ally, so I spared his life."

Inside, a part of Ludwig smiled as he translated what his brother really meant. He knew Gilbert had always had a weakness for cute things, even if he refused to say so (most of the time). At least some of the brother he knew was still here.

"Why…" Ludwig frowned, trying to find the right words. "How did you end up on the surface? Why? They told me you were dead… it would have been slightly too soon for you to anyone to come up here."

The questions finally came, or began to, and the brothers stared each other down. Ludwig waited for Gilbert to speak and Gilbert… the man looked to the darkening sky, memories filling his eyes. Ludwig almost thought his brother wasn't going to answer, but when could Gilbert ever truly resist talking about himself? Still the exact words were unexpected when uttered.

"I have Qualities too, didja know that West?" He spared a glance to Ludwig, who frowned. For a moment Ludwig braced for the inevitable claim that being awesome was a Quality. Gilbert snorted and crossed his arms, giving a shrug. "It's pretty rare for two people to be born with Qualities so close together, I know. But, I have em… and before they even found yours… they'd picked _me_ to represent our Clan."

This was certainly news to Ludwig. He couldn't recall his brother ever mentioning he'd been picked as Clan Representative. As if reading his thoughts, Gilbert smirked.

"Oh of course I didn't tell my little brother! I didn't want you to cry knowing that the awesome me would be leaving you some day!" That smirk became just a bit more brotherly, a bit less full of himself. "It was just you and me, right? You didn't need somethin' like that hanging over your head."

Ludwig let the words sink in, played them against his memories. The German man had always had a bit of trouble thinking too far back into his childhood. It sometimes felt a bit hazy, a little patchy, but never enough that he'd been concerned enough to confront the gaps. Still, there was nothing he could recall that seemed to indicate his older brother had been given such a prestigious title. All he could remember was Gilbert raising hell and dodging lessons and duties to play war games in the halls with him.

"Why did they say you died? Why… Gilbert what happened?" Ludwig's voice was strained and serious, his head hurting a bit from digging through his memories.

"I'm getting' to it West! Just relax." Ludwig sent a stony glare at his brother.

"I could relax better if I wasn't restrained like this." He shifted in his binds, but Gilbert made no move to untie him.

"I know you Ludwig; if I untie you you'll try and get out of here, no matter how curious you are. So you're just going to sit there and enjoy listening to me instead." Ludwig sighed discretely through his nose, having no words to argue the statement with.

"I called bullshit on it." The blunt statement left Ludwig blinking, his mind trying to scrape together the meaning of the words.

"What?" The blond waited for clarification.

"On the Journey… when they taught me all about it… told me the full extent of what I'd be going out to do… I called bullshit. No way in _hell_ was I going to do something like that!" The fire in Gilbert's eyes was impressive, but it still left Ludwig exasperated.

"You refused the Journey because you didn't want to d—"

"No! Ludwig, I would have easily given my life for the Clan, I was willing to go and leave behind my little brother for the sake of everyone's happiness! Shit West, give me some credit!" The actual hurt that lurked beneath Gilbert's anger shamed Ludwig for a moment, who dipped his gaze in apology. Gilbert raked a hand through his white hair and let it go.

"I didn't care about that… I cared about what the world was going to become. What would happen to all the clans themselves. West, you know me. I'm all for kicking ass and taking names, I'm the first guy to look at if you need someone to lead a charge against an enemy, to conquer someone in a fight. But this Journey? That's not even fair! It's just a race. Winner takes all… and the losers? What do they get?"

"That's what the alliances are for," Ludwig said reasonably, shaking his head. "Gilbert, there was no way to provide for everyone…the plan set in motion before the clans took to the Sanctuaries could only do so much. Alliances let us share the wealth with other clans… and if permitted I'm certain steps will be taken to assist clans that did not succeed in the Journey…"

"Yeah… steps… like absorbing the clans, subjugating them… forcing them to jump through hoops for extra resources. I can see it happening West… if it's for the sake of eating and surviving, people will do anything. They'll give up their traditions; they'll let their clans crumble. I'm not gonna be a part of that."

Ludwig hissed under his breath, cursing his brother and his preoccupation with the fallen Clan Prussia. Just before the apocalypse, when Sanctuaries were being built and steps for the Journey being laid out some clans… some clans… had not been deemed acceptable candidates. They'd been deemed too small, or weak, or any other number of defects. It'd been stated that these clans would not be included in the Journey plans… that these clans would not have a Sanctuary to weather the disaster in at all.

Such had been the declared fate of Clan Prussia… and that would have been the end of them had Clan Germany not accepted them into their own. The years had tarnished that good will, until all that remained of Clan Prussia was a memory, everyone in the Sanctuary eventually coming to rest under the banner of Germany. Traditions had been lost, yes… but people had been spared. Families and bloodlines persevered! Where Gilbert had seen an inexcusable tragedy, Ludwig had seen simple practicality. It didn't help that Gilbert insisted their family was originally Prussian, didn't help that he obsessively read old data documents on the fallen clan.

It was a rift in the brothers, and it was apparently enough to prompt Gilbert into rebellion over the Journey.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Eh… eh…? I did better this time, right? Not such a long wait? I was watchin' the movie 'The Book of Eli', man is the visual representation of a post apocalyptic world awesome in it! I'm all fired up, haha.

There's obviously more to Gilbert's tale, but this chapter seemed long enough as it was (it would have become massive if I typed out everything else I'd planned for this one), and I wanted to get it out. So, instead of rushing through it, it shall be continued next chapter. ;]

Writing that exchange between Feliciano and Matthew at the start… it sorta creeped me out. It really did haha.

Reviews are always appreciated, and I just have to say: I love all my readers! Those who've reviewed… those who've faithfully and reviewed more than once (soooo wonderful)… and those who fav/alert… _thank you thank you all._


	8. Chapter 8

Kiku groaned softly, his mind groggy as his head attempted to worm its way back to full awareness. This seemed to be made an all but impossible feat considering the way the world was moving and shaking beneath him. It was jarring, accompanied by the sound of many feet hitting the ground, landing against the rubble and ruined rock of the wasteland that was the surface world. He could feel his breath being forced from his lips in little bursts as the world continued to jar him in a rhythmic yet choppy pattern.

A few things began to become clear to his mind, and none of them were good.

First of all, he was bound, tied up with something that felt softer than chains but certainly a tougher material than simple rope. He was also being carried over someone's shoulder, and though he was loathe to open his eyes just yet, he thought he had an idea of someone easily strong enough to lift him, yet perhaps not overwhelmingly imposing in size. Needless to say, he was not thrilled with the prospect of being correct in his guess.

More unsettling perhaps, at least on a personal level, was the fact that Kiku didn't have his sword. He couldn't feel its familiar weight, felt disconnected from its noble spirit, and he couldn't even recall when precisely he'd lost it. Indeed, though his mind was starting to replay the events before his apparent capture, the actual point where he'd been knocked unconscious remained but a painful blur to the Asian man's mind. Considering the utter chaos the Clanless had caused upon their arrival, Kiku supposed he shouldn't be so harsh on himself for falling in battle as he had. Supposed, yes, but the supposition did nothing to quell the feelings of shame and disappointment in him.

Well, there was nothing he could do for his dishonor at the moment, not captured and bound with his eyes closed like this. Strengthening his resolve, Kiku slowly let his eyes open, his neutral expression trying to mask the discomfort of the shoulder his stomach rested on jarring into him with each and every step of his carrier. His stomach actually lurched when first confronted with the sight of the ruined ground moving by below him, though even captive Kiku would never do something so vulgar as purposely be sick upon a captor.

Lifting his gaze yet keeping his body and head as still as possible, Kiku sought to take in his surroundings in hopeful secrecy. Unfortunately, even lifting his gaze slightly brought the sight of tramping feet to him, a swift assessment of his peripheral vision indicating figures flanking him as well. Whoever had him was traveling and moving in a tight group. Not wanting them to pay attention to him over their movements, he would have to leave it at that. But he had confirmed it… he was in the clutches of the five.

'_Do they have Feliciano and Ludwig as well?'_ The desire to look up to find out made his neck feel stiff and cramped, as if it was a physical effort not to move. He didn't hear anything being dragged, and as he was carried further and further, the sky beginning to dim as the fires of sunset burned out towards evening he tried to think if any of the other members of the five were strong enough to carry one of his allies. _'Perhaps the man with the scarf could.'_ He tried to pick up the Russian's form in his gaze. Without looking up though, he couldn't tell if he was carrying a body or not.

"Here, this will do aru. We'll camp here." Kiku tried not to flinch at the sudden sound of the voice, commanding his body to remain a limp ragdoll. If he'd moved or flinched, no one called him out on it. Instead they all seemed to listen to the representative of Clan China. Well, all except for the one carrying him. Staring mildly perplexed at the number 50 on the back of the American's jacket, Kiku wondered why he wasn't stopping. _'He's also… rather quiet as well…'_ Now that his mind was on it, it seemed a little strange that Alfred wasn't chattering away.

"Cease your stride, America." It was Arthur's voice, and the Japanese man had to admit to being mildly fascinated at the way Alfred's body reacted. Held over his shoulder like this, Kiku was treated to more of the reaction than the others no doubt. Yes, the American stopped as ordered, but the way his muscles tensed conveyed deep anger, the way his breath hitched and seemed to seethe into an angry hiss wasn't lost on his ears only because he was so close. _'He's trying to resist the commands…'_ Why he couldn't seemed a very important mystery to Kiku at the moment.

"Put him down, America." Again Arthur spoke, and as Kiku thought about it, it did seem to carry a bit of the authority it'd had up at the ridge. Like the first time he'd barked an order at the younger blond. Again Alfred obeyed, though in an apparent fit of rebellion, tossed Kiku to the ground like a sack of flour rather than placing him nicely. Biting back a groan, the Asian man tried to keep his temper in through the jarring pain of the impact. He was trying to shift to stop a rock from poking him in the side when the sound of steps approached.

"Ah? It appears he's awake… well of course being tossed to the ground is likely to wake someone… you're so very rough Alfred…" The wavy haired blond came and knelt next to Kiku, drawing his face up with graceful fingers. The Japanese representative locked eyes, silently addressing the other. At first the blond seemed to regard him coolly, as if completely unimpressed and uninterested. Then, just after a look Kiku could have sworn was disgust and reluctance, the man's lips began to quirk up. He didn't understand the smirk on Francis's face, though his cheeks started to go red when he realized the man was leaning in as if to kiss him.

"Ah… w-wait a moment…" Stumbling over his attempts to be polite about it, Kiku tried to shoot back. He had no idea why this man was trying to kiss him right now, but he was not going to submit to such shameful and inappropriate behavior as this! The French representative seemed pretty determined however, and in his bindings Kiku was struggling to escape. He couldn't believe his relief when suddenly the representative of China was tugging the blond away from him.

"Stop that aru! Can't you settle down and control yourself?" The two 'allies' shared a rather heated glare as the French rep stood up, brushing his hair over his shoulder haughtily.

"Oh yes, do _forgive me_ for trying to do everything in my power to make certain we succeed! You're right of course; it'd be so very _foolish_ to use my Quality to make him listen to me." There was something a bit strange in the man's tone of voice. There was the flirtatious tone, yes, and the condescending sarcasm. However there was something rather bitter in there as well. Kiku wondered, though only briefly for he had much greater concerns at the moment, if perhaps the French representative wasn't as keen on kissing strangers as he seemed.

A hand came down on Francis's shoulder, the heavy hand of the Russian, and the Frenchman seemed to go decidedly pale.

"I do not think it is good for someone to serve only _you_, da? We are all comrades, aren't we?" The tension in the group seemed to spike, as all eyes seemed to drift and dart to take glances at Arthur. The Englishman had untied that chair from his body, setting down his gear as they were apparently to camp here. He met their stares with a challenging glare, his fierce eyebrows connecting in aggression. From his position, Kiku very quickly tried to take in the reactions and attitudes of his captors.

The Frenchman seemed worried, nervous, yet underneath there was something more. Kiku's gut told him it was guilt, though with little intelligence on this group to go off of, he wasn't certain what the guilt could be for. Francis merely brought his arms over his chest, looking sheepishly away from everyone, as if he could somehow make himself separate from what was happening. The Russian's hand remained on him, however, and the tension clearly in Francis's posture showed this terrified him.

The Chinese representative, Yao, gazed at Arthur with a look of mistrust, though it was hidden enough under a patient mask. It was as though he was confident in his suspicions, and knew that there was no need to respond so aggressively. It was as though he knew that to openly accuse Arthur of something would only raise his defenses. It was a knowing gaze, a gaze that couldn't be fooled, yet a gaze that could be cautious.

It was far less threatening than the gaze the Russian leveled at the Englishman. That soft, almost angelic smile that adorned Ivan's lips carried with it the malice of ages. It was the smile of someone who saw something that angered them greatly, yet was exceptionally pleased to have an outlet for their anger provided at last. Ivan gazed at Arthur with the eyes of a hunter, watching their prey struggle in a net for a while before striking the kill. His frigid smile conveyed that for too long he'd been watching Arthur… waiting for something. At last, he had it.

The last of the group to look to was Alfred, the American clansman. The blond had his eyes locked to Arthur, and beneath the fury and indignation Kiku could see a desperate sort of confusion… yet more than that, Kiku saw betrayal. He saw hurt. He saw the eyes of a youth who'd never suspected something like this could be done to him, and certainly not by the man before him. It was born of folly, the folly of trusting too easily. It was born of confidence not yet justified.

"If you've something to say, Ivan, I'd say you'd best be out with it." Arthur's voice never shook, never wavered. His face was firm, unflinching. To his credit, his green eyes gave away nothing, no shred of guilt. It was obvious what Ivan referred to, there wasn't a person here who didn't know and witness just what Arthur had done. It took quite a bit of guts to stand firm in such a situation, and Kiku was left with the impression that this group, if they could ever truly unite their strengths, could best his own alliance.

Ivan stalked forward, purple eyes twinkling as he motioned to the antique chair. "I think the time for lies is over, da? I never did believe that this chair could possibly be a part of your _Quality_, but I was willing to overlook this. Your little 'spells' have been useful enough; I thought perhaps you had but one _Quality_ and not the sense to make up a false second." Ivan strode forward until his hand came to rest on the back of the chair, his body standing by it dangerously. Arthur tensed, bristling.

"It's not a lie, without that chair my _Quality_ could possibly fail. Now release it at once." His hand sank to that antique gun at his waist, a subtle threat the Russian ignored.

"More lies Arthur… this is no good. How are we to remain allies if you lie? We have all _seen_ your other _Quality_! This chair is worthless!" Without waiting Ivan drew his pipe from his coat, swinging it fiercely and breaking the chair with ease. Arthur's face went scarlet with anger, his gun drawn up now and aimed directly at Ivan's face. Kiku watched, fighting the urge to hold his breath, tense and wondering if there was any room for him to escape here.

"You bloody idiot! How dare you—"

"Nyet! How dare _you_ hide your _Quality_ from us all this time!" The pipe in his hands seemed to gleam, deadly and true as Kiku's sword ever had. Purple eyes were locked to green, an aura of unstable aggression pressing upon all present like a thick fog. "Tell us Arthur… just how were you able to _control_ Alfred? And more importantly…" The dark aura that surrounded Ivan seemed to freeze the very air around them all. His voice, normally so light and childish, dipped deep and low. "Do you intend to control _us_ with it as well?"

o o o o o o o o o o o o o

"Gilbert…." As much as Ludwig could understand his brother's reasoning, he couldn't truly embrace it. It was inevitable what would happen to the clans once any of them completed _The Journey_. There was a vague equality amongst them all at present, yet it was only natural that the balance would shift once some of them gained the valuable resources awaiting them at the end of _The Journey_. To refuse to participate wouldn't end the system his brother found fault with… it would only leave their Clan at a disadvantage!

Before Ludwig could find the words he wanted, Gilbert shook his head. "Look West, I know you and I don't agree on this, I know we don't see eye to eye. I've awesomely accepted that, I'm not here to change your mind. Honestly, I didn't expect to run into you at all." There were words left unsaid in that statement, words that would have been too painful to admit to. 'I didn't think I'd ever see you again'. It stabbed into the silence between them, curbing Ludwig's frustrations for now, turning his mind down sentimental roads.

"How are you up here then… how… are you alive?" Though Ludwig was much too old to express his emotions like a child, it seemed as though his feelings reached Gilbert. All those years thinking his older brother, his only blood relation and family was dead… it'd been painful. It'd been suffered in the stoic silence expected of him. Answers the Clan had given him seemed dangerous; to remember at all seemed like walking on pins and needles. Red eyes softened just slightly, and Gilbert gave a wry smile.

"Well, they didn't really take it well when I said I refused to go on _The Journey_… but those old men in charge… they didn't just sit around and accept it. They didn't know about you yet… but they weren't gonna give up on having a representative." Gilbert laughed a bitter cold laugh that Ludwig had never heard his brother make before. The elder of the pair seemed to sit and relax back, Gilbird wrapping his neck around him and pillowing him with his body.

"I bet they never showed you the labs… didn't have to. Which is good. They were decidedly not awesome, especially without my incredible presence to make them bearable. Of course, anywhere I am is exceptional! I make anywhere great!" Ludwig shook his head slightly as his brother got derailed singing his own praises. _'Labs? I wasn't aware the Clan had such a thing.'_ It went without saying that Ludwig held a certain level of trust in his older brother, a trust that he wouldn't lie about something like this. Still, a heavy weight settled in his stomach as he wondered over the purpose of the labs.

Gilbert at last seemed to get back on track with his story, his voice low and serious. "They were gonna have a representative with _Qualities_ no matter what West. If that meant they had to _take_ mine and implant them in someone else… then that's what they decided to do."

Ludwig stiffened at the news, his brows furrowing in a perplexed surprise. _Take_ a _Quality_ from someone? Was it possible? His mind raced at the thought, following dark conclusions. Was he going to believe this? Gilbert wouldn't be lying but…

Scowling, his blue eyes gazed at his brother's appearance, things starting to perhaps add up. "Is that why you look as you do now? Did they take your _Qualities?_" Ludwig's voice was rising, his anger pressing against his ribcage like a savage beast wanting out. His loyalty to his Clan seemed to war with his love for his brother. To think… they lied? Said his brother was _dead_ while they… what… experimented on him? His vision seemed to swim in his anger, and it wasn't until he felt a hand land on his head that he snapped out of it.

Gilbert was kneeling in front of him, smirking down at him in a manner that translated to a 'brotherly smile'. Even Gilbird had leaned towards him, lightly pecking at his shoulder. The brothers' eyes met, and understanding seemed to pass between them. Gilbert's fingers seemed to flex a bit in his hair, messing it up a bit. It wasn't a soothing pat on the head, but from Gilbert it translated just as well. This 'tender moment' ended all too soon, of course, when Gilbert's hand curled to a fist, rubbing on Ludwig's head fiercely.

"For shame West! How could you even _think_ anyone could take away even a sliver of my awesome! They may have tried, but there was no way they could get the best of me!" He sat back, grinning wide. "They tried and failed west, my Qualities are my own. I kept them and made my amazing escape to the surface… so here I am now. Undefeatable! Kesesesese!" Gilbert launched into a bout of intense laughter, and Ludwig wasn't sure if he should feel relieved by it all or… well… he wasn't certain of the 'or'.

Letting his gaze drop to the ground before him Ludwig fell to contemplation. Hearing this story… hearing what his Clan had done… of course it sparked an intense feeling of betrayal within him. Of course he reacted in anger. Yet… the longer he let it sit… his rational mind began to wonder. Was it truly so wrong, what had been done? Ludwig was willing to give his life to see his Clan survive and prosper; he was ready to give it all. His Clan had preached unity and strength, had preached devotion to completing _The Journey_ successfully for the sake of their future.

Was it betrayal? Was it a betrayal to be so angry over? Was it a betrayal worth… stopping _The Journey_ for? In a sense Gilbert had betrayed the Clan first… or he could see them perceiving it as such. So… then… who was at fault? Was finding fault important? An ache throbbed between his brows, one that matched the one in his chest. Things had swerved from a simple journey of duty into something much more complicated for him. He grit his teeth, focusing on his responsibility. He had a responsibility to his Clan, to the people of his Clan. To those who were ignorant of this new discovery, to those who waited and hoped for the new resources… waited to know that their Clan's future was secure.

"… relax West, I'm not gonna ask ya to stop _The Journey_…" He looked up sharply to see Gilbert grinning at him, watched as his brother shrugged his shoulders. "It's impossible to fill my awesome shoes… just do what you feel you need to."

A sober expression settled on Ludwig's face, and when he spoke his voice was even. Much more even than he'd expected it'd be after hearing this news. "And if I feel you're standing in the way of completing _The Journey_? What then?"

Gilbert chuckled, a fire in his eyes. "Then you try to move me out of the way. Though we both know you'd fail."

Ludwig's own eyes sparkled with fire, a rekindling of something he hadn't felt since their old childhood war games. "I can out think you in strategy brother… I'm much bigger than you are now as well."

"Kesesese… you don't stand a chance West, but I'll have fun watching you try." The competitive spirit lingered between the two for a few moments more before Ludwig finally cracked a smile, shifting in his binds and letting out a small sigh. Gilbert couldn't help but grin away.

"I… I am…glad… to see you're still alive brother." It came out awkward, but at least it was said.

Gilbert's eyes took on a faraway look for a moment, though it was quickly replaced with his usual cocky bravado. "It's good to be alive Ludwig."

Clearing his throat, the German representative arched a curious brow to his elder brother. "So… what _are_ you doing up here… how have you survived all this time? Why do you have Feliciano's brother?"

"Whoa now, that's a lotta questions West. Now, while I won't tell you my master plans unless you agree to join me… I will say this: People have been living up here on the surface longer than we've been led to believe. I don't just mean the Clanless… other Clans have tried to move back to the surface already."

"What?" Ludwig sat up even straighter, if that was possible for him.

"Yep. Now, I don't think it was intentional for some of em. There are these two Clans I know of that've been up for a while thanks to some pretty significant generator malfunctions. The rep for one of 'em… oh man let me tell you West… she's a real feisty one! But that damn wanna be aristocrat is always with her… leavin' his damn patched up underpants all over… how can she not see how much more awesome I am?"

Ludwig paled a little, his mind out of practice in keeping up with Gilbert's swift shifts of focus and attention. Shaking his head briefly to clear it, Ludwig leaned forward. "Gilbert… about the Clanless… are you really… did you attack Clan Liechtenstein and Switzerland?"

Gilbert's jaw dropped open. "Are you seriously asking me that? Why the hell would I go after them like that! Damn Ludwig, give me some credit!"

"… forgive me… but then that means… there are _other_ groups of Clanless then?" Ludwig needed to know… he had to make certain his brother had _nothing_ to do with that horror.

Gilbert nodded his head. "Like I _said_… there're more people living up here than we were led to believe underground. I heard about the attacks on those two clans… pretty terrible. Probably gonna happen again. But it's not _my_ group doing it. Clan Prussia would never sink so low!"

Ludwig hesitated a moment. "…Clan… Prussia…?"

Gilbert nodded and clenched a fist in the air. "Of course! Maybe the original Clan Prussia fell and was absorbed, but now it has a chance to rise again!"

Ludwig could only stare at his brother. So… typical. He'd found his way of reviving and 'honoring' Clan Prussia at last. He should have known his brother would forge his own path in this wasteland.

"Brother… do—" The German representative was cut off suddenly, a shout of alarm passing through the camp. Gilbert was on his feet in seconds, barking out a demand to know what was going on. Ludwig strained in his bindings, not one to be left defenseless during a time of possible trouble. It was very dark out, only portable lamps providing light. One of the Clanless… no… one of the Prussian clansmen, rushed forward.

"Gilbert! It's the Italian! He's on the other side of the camp, shouting and waving a white flag!" Ludwig's eyes shot wide at this news.

'_No, Feliciano! What are you doing?'_ His heart rate picked up, his mind racing over the possibilities. Was the Italian honestly coming here and surrendering? Where was Kiku? Had he been captured by those other five? Was this some sort of elaborate rescue attempt between the Japanese and Italian men? _'Coming for me isn't the best solution! Not like this! They should have gone on without me!'_ Dragging his mind over these thoughts, turning them over and over again in his mind to find some sort of beneficial strategy to turn to them, Ludwig almost missed his brother's words.

"Hmm… he's either braver than I thought… or this is some sort of trick…" Gilbert wasn't a man to be so easily tricked. He stood his ground, ready to issue out some orders, when another shout rang out through the camp.

"Feliciano!" It was Lovino shouting, soon followed by a shout of 'Lovi come back!'. Gilbert sworn under his breath.

"Oh hell… that idiot better not do something stupid!" Doing something foolish himself, Gilbert raced to go after the other Italian, Gilbird and his follower rushing along with him.

Left alone, Ludwig began to struggle to get free in earnest. He knew it was a near impossible task to escape like this, but he'd certainly try. There was no way he could allow Feliciano to get caught. Even _if_ Ludwig decided to have a change of heart about _The Journey_, he wasn't about to doom Clan Italy and Clan Japan because of it!

He'd only been struggling for a few minutes, listening to the commotion, when suddenly he felt pressure on his bindings. He jolted, turning his head about and seeing no one.

"Shh… hold still and I'll get you out of these…" It was a quiet voice, right at his ear. Ludwig blinked, not understanding how he was unable to see the one speaking to him.

"Who…?"

"…" A sigh. "I'll explain later…"

* * *

**Author's Note:**

This was almost a chapter without Italy in it! How dare I! As it was he really only got a little cameo more than an appearance. Sadness.

Hopefully these three somewhat overlapping scenes (Feli/Matt, Lud/Gil/Lovi/Toni, and Kiku/Allies) aren't/haven't been too confusing. The Axis will be reunited and our main focus again soon enough.

As always, thank you to those who review, and to those who fav/alert and such. Means a lot to me. I'd write you all one-shot fics as a thank you, but then these chapters would just come out that much slower!


	9. Chapter 9

Waving his white flag valiantly in the dark, Feliciano tried to focus on the plan, tried to trust in Matthew's words. Taking in a deep breath, watching the assembled Clanless start to mobilize, watching blinding lights turned his way, Feliciano prepared to shout again. He was all but in a spotlight it seemed, a nerve wracking place to be when your audience was heavily armed. It was a wonder he had his voice when one considered how very terrified he was to be doing this… but Feliciano had always been rather vocal through his fear.

Besides… this was strikingly similar to something Ludwig had told him to do before, wasn't it? A false surrender was apparently wonderful bait. _'So long as Matthew is able to get to Ludwig and Kiku…'_

"H-Hey! L-Listen to me all of you! I'm right out here! Please don't shoot meee~" The sound of his flag waving punctuated each and every nonsensical word that flew from his lips with sharp crisp snaps. His one good arm began to ache and strain from the waving of the flag but Feliciano didn't let up. He waved that flag like his life depended on it, because as far as he knew lives just _might_ depend on it. He had to save Ludwig and Kiku! And Lovino! All four of them would get away together! _'But why are you out here Lovi? Why aren't you back at the Clan Sanctuary?'_

Terrible doomsday thoughts raced through his mind, each more horrific than the next. Visions of what had happened to Clan Lichtenstein and Switzerland haunted his thoughts. At the very least he could see Lovino was alive and well… but oh the rest of his Clan! It was too much. He waved the white flag with even more vigor, as if that could wash away the horrible ideas attacking his head. He should just focus on this anyway… hopefully Matthew was doing ok. He tuned his head back into the words tumbling from his lips, wondering if he'd been making any sense at all. He hadn't been paying attention during his temporarily tormented inner monologue.

"…and then you boil it and wait, so you can go ahead and check on the sauce and… oh I'm talking about pasta~ I finally got to have it once, before I left the Sanctuary. If you don't kill me I'll make some for all of you I promise~" The enemies kept on watching him, activity going on behind their lines yet nothing aggressive at him yet. Shadows passed in front of the lights here and there, creating terrifying dark blobs that looked even more monstrous than the mutated men watching him.

"Feliciano!" His brother's irate voice pierced through his thoughts so intensely he actually winced back for a moment, flinching as if he'd just been hit physically. The flag drooped in his grasp a bit as he watched his brother start to storm forward, angrily stomping his feet and all but exuding smoke in his anger. His backlit shadow made Lovino seem larger than life as he advanced, a fuming monster ready to throttle Feliciano into the dirt.

The brown haired man with a harassed smile from before was right on Lovino's heels, saying things too soft for Feliciano to hear. They seemed to be completely ignored by his brother though, for Lovino wasn't slowing at all. The easy movements from the other man, translated into his massive shadow, made it seem like it was all so commonplace. Feliciano took a hesitant step backwards, eyes flicking to the Clanless who still watched, though they were now noticeably restless.

"B-brother… what are you doing out here~?" His voice came out far too frivolously, he knew that… but he couldn't help it. Sometimes he just couldn't stop that silly little lilt from entering his words. Usually at the worst of times, which only led people into believing he was such a simpleton and a fool. Sadly, this happy vocal quirk of his always seemed to get on Lovino's nerves, whose face turned a shade redder in his anger Feliciano could finally see. It didn't seem that should be possible.

"Shut up stupid little brother! Get over here right now! What the hell do you think you're doing! Huh?" The speed at which Lovino could spit out such angry words was, all in all, rather impressive. Feliciano felt a soft laugh escape his lips, a nervous tick of his that, unfortunately, also seemed to annoy his brother. He couldn't help it; it wasn't as though he annoyed Lovino on purpose! Besides… his brother was far too easy to agitate sometimes. Well, ok, _all_ times.

"But but… Lovino… I can't…" Feliciano tried to put his thoughts in order so he could explain things, but his brother was getting closer and closer. The plan would be ruined if Lovino dragged him back to the Clanless. He wasn't _actually_ supposed to get caught! The Clanless were dangerous and bad, so why did Lovino want to stick with them? They were murderers! Right? He'd seen what they could do! But no one else seemed like they were going to come after him, it was strange.

The man with his brother reached out a hand, grabbing Lovino's upper arm and pulling back with just enough force to stop him. A momentary flash of protectiveness surged through the younger Italian, yet his brother reacted much faster than he did. Feliciano watched his brother spin about, eyes flashing dangerously in anger. "The hell you tomato bastard—"

"Now now Lovi… I can't let you just go walking up to him. He's really cute and adorable too, but this could be a trap!" The man flashed a sunny smile at Feliciano, which the Italian returned somewhat hesitantly. It was marginally awkward to have another guy so openly declare him as cute and adorable. "My name is Antonio, I've heard so much about you from Lovino~ He's been really worried about you, you know. He found his way all the way to Clan Spain just to get help~ Isn't that so sweet?"

A sudden vicious head butt to the face stopped the man's words, Antonio doubling over in pain for a moment though still keeping his grip on Lovino's arm. The elder Italian was all but spitting in rage and utter mortification.

"Sh-Shut up! No one asked you to speak up!" Feliciano let out a tiny little sigh, a smile on his face and a small bloom of warmth in his chest. He didn't think this Antonio was lying, especially not when Lovino's reaction confirmed it. _'So Lovi really is safe for now… what a relief! And he was worried about me!' _His big brother might have been a bit awkward about showing how he felt, but it if you understood him his feelings got through loud and clear.

"Ve~… I'm happy to hear this big brother… but you didn't have to come out here to help me… Ludwig and Kiku are lots of help! And really strong, too! Especially Ludwig!" Lovino scowled fiercely at him as his attention switched from the Spaniard back to kin, and Feliciano stopped speaking.

"Don't talk about that potato bastard! If he was so strong then you wouldn't be hurt like you are, and he wouldn't have gotten caught! Now come here, we're going! You're not doing this stupid _Journey_ anymore!" Lovino tried to step forward again before Feliciano could question him at all, but once again Antonio stopped him. The Spaniard's grip on the Italian's arm grew a bit tighter, his lost its smile.

"Lovino, I'm serious. This could be a trap. Stay next to the boss, ok?" Lovino locked eyes with Antonio for a moment as he tried to tug away before turning to look about them, gesturing wide.

"Do you see anyone else? How the fuck could this be a trap? I know my brother, it's not like he dug a bunch of ditches for us to fall into out here or anything!" Antonio let a quiet hum out, tilting his head to the side and scrutinizing both Italian Clansmen.

"Just because we can't see doesn't mean he doesn't have help… it is quite late and quite dark. We should wait for Gilbert…"

"Did someone mention the awesome me?" On cue, not that'd he'd been listening to the conversation and waiting for the most impressive point in the conversation to make his totally awesome entrance or anything, Gilbert strode forward, coming to the front of the gathered Clanless. He offered both Italians and the Spaniard a cocky grin, red eyes peering out at the little scene playing out. "Hmm… so you're Lovino's lil bro huh? West got the cute one."

Lovino bristled but didn't say anything, glaring daggers at Gilbert as the man strode forward, out towards Feliciano. With the wave of his hand he had a few of the mutants with him. It was intimidating, probably intended to be so, and the youngest Italian swallowed hard and fought to stand his ground. _'Matthew didn't say the leader would come after me himself!'_ Taking a step back, a strange shiver raced over Feliciano. It was something in the way Gilbert was looking at him.

It was hard to see in the dark of course, even if Gilbert had some of his Clanless carry lights on them. If you could imagine it, Gilbert just seemed to radiate his expression, his stare, his calculating gaze. Feliciano's grip on his white flag tightened, even if he wasn't waving it about anymore. He felt like he was being judged somehow… he didn't understand it… but he felt it. Weighed… measured… why? Gilbert stopped walking, crossing his arms over his chest once he'd advanced as close to Feliciano as Lovino had.

"You look fucking terrified to be out here," Gilbert said. Lovino swore and cursed at the man, but the silver haired one just ignored him. He kept his red gaze on Feliciano… expectant. The youngest Italian wasn't certain just what he was _supposed_ to say to that… but… but… it couldn't hurt to be honest here… could it? He was pretty sure his lie would be seen through anyway… he didn't think he could get anyone to think he was brave. But maybe talking would keep buying Matthew time… would be a good enough distraction.

"I… I am…" He took a deep breath though, and tried to stand just a little taller. "But… but I… I won't leave my allies behind! O-or my brother!"

Gilbert arched his eyebrows, his lips sliding into a wide smirk. "So you what, come here and surrender? I think you've got a lot to learn about 'rescue missions'." There was a bit of laughter at those words, and Feliciano trembled. The albino shook his head before motioning with his hand for the youngest Italian to come forward. "Well kid with the white flag? You coming or not?"

When Feliciano hesitated, Gilbert's eyes took on a dangerous and very knowing edge. "You _are_ surrendering, right? You're not… oh… just causing a _distraction_ now, are you?" Feliciano's jaw dropped, his mouth forming a guilty little o. Gilbert scowled, turning to his followers.

"Grab him now, and go make sure the 'prisoner' hasn't gotten away!" Red eyes focused on Feliciano as mutants sprang into action. Some of them charged at the Italian, others turned on their heels and raced for the area of the camp where Ludwig was. Gilbert however moved and grabbed onto Lovino. It wasn't a rough grab, but it was tight and unyielding no matter how much the older Italian started to struggle. "Just come here quietly now," he yelled to Feliciano, ignoring the angry looks Antonio was shooting him.

Feliciano took a step back. He only had seconds to make a choice here. He looked to Lovino for a moment, his distress painted clearly for his brother to see. Wordless, the twins knew too well what the other was thinking. With a snarling curl of his lip, Lovino began to swear in their clan's native tongue. Without warning he wrapped his arms around Gilbert, surprising the man. "Get the fuck out of here stupid little brother! I'll yell at you later!"

Grateful beyond words, though worried to his core, Feliciano nodded, turning to sprint away just before the putrid grip of a Clanless mutant hand could close upon him. As he ran away from the danger as well as his brother and the light of the camp, the young Italian could only pray. Pray that Lovino would be alright, that he really would get to see him to be yelled at again. Pray that he'd bought enough time for Matthew to free Ludwig or Kiku. He also prayed that as he rushed off into the dark and over the ruined and treacherous landscape that he wouldn't trip over anything. Or run into any mutated animals.

xoxoxoxoxox

The minute he was free of his restraints, Ludwig struggled to his feet. It wasn't the swift sure rise he would have wished for, but it was the best he could do after being bound for hours. His muscles were stiff, sluggish and sore. His joints felt uncoordinated and almost rusty, as if the bones were scraping upon each other rather than buffered by cartilage. Of course, the German didn't wallow in his body's ache, forcing it to move to face his apparent rescuer.

He nearly froze when he saw who it was, gazing at that blond hair… those cracked glasses. He swallowed and moved his body into a defensive stance, prepared to engage in unarmed combat if need be. His cold blue eyes held grim determination, knowing full well he needed to seek out an escape route and fast. There was no way he could grapple unarmed with a man with 'super strength'.

To his surprise and suspicious consternation, the American clansman merely held up a hand in a placating gesture, a bear doll held defensively in his other arm. The German frowned, feeling that something was definitely wrong about the situation but unable to pinpoint what it was.

"Please relax," came a voice that was soft and so very unlike that boisterous one the rambunctious American used. "I'm not who you think I am… I'm here to get you out of here. I… I came with Feliciano."

Ludwig cast his eyes about the camp, noting the way they moved about, intent on verifying the commotion, leaving him mostly ignored for now. He scanned, trying to find his gear so that he could grab it and run. He kept his rescuer in his peripheral vision at all times though, cautious and wary.

"Who are you then?" His voice was low and harsh, but even at a whisper Ludwig sounded like he was barking orders. His feet made soft crunching sounds as he crouched low and made his way to reclaim his supplies. The blond followed him, a careful shadow.

"My name is Matthew Williams… Representative of Clan Canada. We… we should really hurry…" Ludwig nodded, kneeling down when he found his travel backpack. He began to sort through it swiftly, checking to make sure the essential items for _The Journey_ were still there. Finding that Gilbert hadn't removed them, he hitched the pack onto his shoulders. Unfortunately, he couldn't find his weaponry.

"Yes, I know we should hurry…" It wasn't that he trusted this Matthew character, but Ludwig knew that Gilbert wasn't the sort to fall for a diversion for long. The fact that he'd fallen for it at all was amazing and a little suspicious to Ludwig's mind if he was being truthful on the matter. He tensed when he felt a hand on his shoulder, turning swiftly and ready to catch Matthew if he pulled anything.

The Canadian backed off, but something in the way he seemed to bury his face behind his doll set off warning alarms in Ludwig's head. The other was shielding his expression, casting up barriers. "You… you didn't let me finish what I was saying…" The voice sounded timid, but something in the tone burned the German's ears, waved bright red flags about this seemingly unassuming and unthreatening man.

"What?" He carefully modulated his voice, keeping it as neutral as possible, mind as ever racing over possible escape strategies, working to factor Matthew into the most current ones.

"I have a question for you… before you escape. Do you… do you think it's alright for brothers to oppose each other? To… be on opposite sides of a conflict?" The Canadian seemed to nuzzle his bear doll, though Ludwig could feel the very careful gaze he was locked in.

Reflecting, having the sense that a careful answer was necessary to keep this man potentially on his side, the German took his time before answering. "Yes, I do." His voice didn't waver, and he didn't doubt his answer either. The question struck him pretty deeply on a personal level he realized, and he wondered if this man knew he was Gilbert's brother.

"You do…?" Matthew's voice drifted to him like that of a ghost, approval or disapproval masked away completely.

Ludwig nodded his head. "Sometimes… situations demand it. There are some things that are simply… greater." Standing tall, Ludwig's eyes filled with conviction, remembering his too recent conversation with the brother he'd lived so long thinking was gone. "I know my brother would expect nothing less of me… he'd be ashamed of the brother who threw away what he felt was right simply to follow his opinions."

The Canadian looked down, breaking his stare with the German man. He seemed to be considering Ludwig's statement, toe poking at the ground in a rather childish gesture that again reminded the German of the American. The commotion continued on the other side of the camp, low lighting and vehicles blocking the view. The German was anxious to escape, to get away and hopefully reunite with Feliciano. If the Italian got himself captured now it'd be a horrible mess.

Matthew seemed to rouse himself from his contemplations, waving for Ludwig to come. "There's no time to find your weapons, hurry… we should go." He gave a small laugh, and under his breath he whispered something. Ludwig wasn't certain, but it sounded as though he'd said 'maybe we didn't need to come rescue you after all'. The German would inquire later perhaps, for now it was time to run. Run they did, off into the dark of the night.

xoxoxoxoxox

He could hear the sounds of that bratty Italian struggling behind him, could hear Antonio trying to get him to settle down. Yes… he'd have a massive headache to deal with later for this. Lovino would be bad enough, but he knew he'd gone and made Antonio pretty furious with him as well. Despite the carefree and oblivious nature the Spaniard seemed happy to give off, he was anything but a tame little lamb. It wasn't that the Prussian was going back on his promise… no way. But… there were simply certain factors coming to light that were editing the timeline.

So Gilbert mostly ignored his very unhappy guests and allies for now, more interested in the discarded bindings he held in his hands. _'Well… there he goes…'_ He shook his head, smiling wryly at the thought of his little brother racing away into the night. "He shouldn't have been able to escape so easily…" He muttered it to himself of course, well… himself and Gilbird. The large bird made a gruff noise beside him, poking the restraints with his beak.

"So he had help then?" Gilbert frowned, his eyes scanning the area. The diversion hadn't lasted terribly long… so whoever had 'rescued' his brother had moved quickly. Had probably crept close to Ludwig's position before the diversion had started. Like a sudden light, Gilbert realized who it must have been. Who could have snuck virtually into the camp without being detected. Who would know exactly where the camp was. He began to laugh, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all. "Huh… what a ballsy guy. Tagged along with me until he found a better way to get what he wanted. Well… if he thinks this was the best way to do it…"

He wasn't mad. Not at Ludwig's rescuer, nor at Ludwig himself. He really wasn't going to force Ludwig to stop the _Journey_, not matter his opinion on it. Later they might come into conflict over it… but in a way Gilbert looked forward to the possibility. Still… it would have been nice to have gotten to chat a bit more. So many years apart… it wasn't like he'd _missed_ his little brother… no way! He was way too awesome and manly to do something so emotional.

There was a high chance he'd be running into West again anyway… since that Italian's brother was still with him. He _had_ agreed to reunite the brothers, after all. So… it looked like he'd be following Ludwig a bit. Not yet though… because first… well… first he wanted to track down those other clanless. Now that he knew they were possibly giving his new Clan Prussia a bad name with their violent and murderous raids… well… Gilbert would put a stop to it.

No one messed with Clan Prussia, not even indirectly.

* * *

**A/N:**

So… I finally scratch together some time to work on this, and I go to reread the story (because hell, it's been so long even I have forgotten what I wrote). All I have to say is… man… you've all been so wonderful in not pointing out the inconsistencies I've blundered here and there! You're all very kind!

My customary thousand apologies for lateness aside, the _good_ news is that the next chapter of this fic is already done! Which means in just _one_ week you'll get another chapter! Well… unless my laptop explodes, my power goes out, my internet dies, or I fall off the edge of the world.

I've revised my profile a bit, so in the future you can sort of keep track of the progress I'm making on my fics.

Love love love to my reviewers, any of you still left, and all new ones.


	10. Chapter 10

"We are waiting for an answer, Kirkland." Ivan's voice contained promises of so much pain most normal men would have crumbled to hear it. The effect was like dry ice to the nervous system, leaving it painfully frozen and oh so very brittle afterwards. It would only take a tap of a pipe to shatter someone caught by his tone, and there was no doubt the Russian clansman would do more than simply tap with that metal.

Arthur, however, would not flinch under it. Yes, there was a certain tension in the line of his jaw, a certain set to his expression that gave away some level of fear. He wasn't a _stupid_ man, he wasn't brave beyond his abilities. However, the Representative of Clan England would not give the satisfaction to the other. He would not give up any sort of weakness. It was vital that he remain on equal footing in this alliance of theirs, it was vital his clan could not be strong armed into gaining less of the spoils waiting at the end of it all.

With a sharp sniff though his nose, Arthur gave his answer. "We're allies, are we not? There's no reason for me to attempt to control all of you when we're working towards the same end." He looked to Alfred, feigning indifference to all the emotions he saw playing out in those so very expressive blue eyes. There was no room for guilt… no. He was only doing what he must. "I only acted as I did to _save_ that git's life."

Ivan did not seem satisfied, and if the shifting of Yao was any indication, the Chinese Representative wasn't pleased with that answer either. "You haven't answered yet aru. _Can_ you control us?" It was a much more diplomatic tone the Asian man used, though it did very little to break the tension in their camping space. With what some might call foolish arrogance and others a confident swagger, Arthur grinned.

"I can't see how I have to answer such a question. As I said, we're all allies, yes? The situation simply won't arise to find out then, will it?" Was it willful provocation? Was it the posturing of a man who knew he was in no danger? From his position, Kiku couldn't quite tell. The only thing he could read for certain from the Englishman was that he knew how to bluff if nothing else. The man didn't have a perfect poker face, but he could and would play games of trust boldly.

Ivan was clearly not happy with the answer, and seeing all too well the futility of words, he sought for action. He took a very decisive step forward, his gloved hand adjusting its grip on the rusting pipe. There was no threat in the action, no hint of what was coming. No… it was a _promise_. Ivan was going to force the issue. Right here. Right now. Kiku's senses felt as though they caught fire, his body filling with adrenaline and coming perfectly alert. Oh he kept it masked away, but every cell in his body was ready to react. This could, hopefully, be a chance to escape.

It was as Ivan brought the pipe up to swing, as Arthur drew up that antique gun to fire back, that a sudden voice seized the moment. "He can't!" It was Francis, his eyes wide, his face stricken and panicked. Arthur absolutely sneered, all aggressive movements from the weapons on a momentary hold. The Frenchman had stolen center stage though, and while he was fretful he was clearly unhappy about this moment. He crossed his arms and refused to meet the gaze of any of his allies.

"You frog! How dare you!" Arthur began to mutter angry insults, dredging up snippets of bad blood between the clans France and England. The insults seemed to draw Francis's ire as well, brought him slightly out of his discomfort. It was enough to cause the man to toss his head, shifting his wavy hair slightly in a haughty pose.

"You need not waste your words with insults dear Arthur! I certainly did not say such a thing to _defend_ you! You are simply part of this alliance… and… I will not see it fall apart until we have completed the _Journey_!" The animosity that ran between the two didn't exactly match the venomous aura that Ivan could produce, but it certainly rivaled it. This hatred ran deep… this hatred was old.

Kiku frowned. _'Their hatred… it doesn't simply come from old clan biases… these two have known each other for some time then?'_ The Japanese man weighed his new theory in his mind, testing it for flaws. It seemed sound, however. From this apparently long running grudge to Francis's apparent knowledge of Arthur's skills… it all seemed a bit much for those who'd only met recently for the _Journey_. The way the two often looked to each other, so conspiratorial… it only seemed to confirm it further.

Kiku knew all too well that if he was coming to this conclusion, Ivan and Yao must be as well. He flicked his eyes to the American, to Alfred, uncertain how well the youth could read the atmosphere. It was possible he was still lost over what was going on. It didn't appear he was in any position to speak or act even if he did have ideas. He seemed trapped and bound, Arthur's to command.

"You will explain this," Ivan said, breaking up the little clan spat going on. He gestured with his pipe towards Alfred, letting his gaze flick between the two men. "I do not care who, but one of you will begin speaking now, da?" Without a doubt, if answers did not begin to flow, violence would commence. Watching the way Francis shrunk back, Kiku knew exactly which man would be the first target.

Arthur seemed wholly uninterested in defending Francis, alliance be damned, but grudgingly he began to speak. "I won't have that idiot spreading lies or twisting the facts," he began, contempt rolling off his tongue. His eyes settled on Alfred, though it was only too clear he was keeping the Russian where he could see him. Ignoring the scoff that almost sounded like a squeak coming from Francis, Arthur pointed. "On his neck, hidden under the neckline of his clothes, you'll find a tattoo. Go see for yourself."

Ivan cocked his head to the side, curious as a bird of prey eying the tiny mouse as darted about the tall grasses. He made no other move, perhaps torn between wanting to keep in physical range of Arthur and checking on this tattoo. Of course, perhaps the Russian was merely waiting to hear what the relevance of this tattoo could possibly be to the situation.

Seeking to fulfill his own curiosity perhaps, it was the Chinese clansman who approached the American, pushing down the layers of clothes he wore, revealing the blond's neck. There, etched in dark black ink, was the tattoo. It was a simple barcode, broken in the middle by one simple letter, and two plain numbers. "C13?" The dark haired man looked into Alfred's eyes, perhaps a small courtesy in seeking some sort of answer from the 'ally' immobilized like their prisoner. The American couldn't speak, though his eyes conveyed a lack of answers.

Arthur nodded. "Indeed. C13. 'Colony Thirteen'… what my clan refers to the Americans as." The statement garnered no immediate statements, only the unspoken demand that Arthur continue. Green eyes kept the American in focus, Arthur's face carefully keeping back most of his emotions. "We have a rather… long history with that Clan you might know. Perhaps not. It's been quite a while since Clans have needed to care. However… regardless of their name… regardless of their supposed 'independence'… Clan America will always be _nothing_ but the property of Clan England. We created them… and we will use them."

Kiku wished that he could get a better look into Alfred's eyes, into anyone's eyes for that matter. Remaining mute and unnoticed was of course ideal for him, but he was in no position to ascertain the truth of this conversation brushed off to the sidelines like this. He tested his restraints discreetly, finding perhaps just enough leeway to begin working them looser. This conversation seemed to be more than ample cover for such efforts. He was as forgotten and ignored at the moment as a piece of trash.

Still gazing at the American, Yao raised his voice in careful question again, his voice clearly thick in thought, yet careful not to betray them. "I believe Clan France also had a hand in the founding of Clan America?" Francis tensed yet again, almost shivering at the prospect of being drawn back into focus. Arthur merely crossed his arms in disgust.

"Indeed… they did." The Chinese Representative continued to study the American, even reaching out to grasp at his arm, feeling the way Alfred shook and struggled yet was stuck rigid. At length Yao's eyes slipped closed, the man taking a step back rather gracefully. When he opened his eyes, however, something within them seemed quite old… far too old. He shook his head, perhaps pity in his gaze.

"I remember," were his simple words, careless and unexplained.

Ivan, who'd been silent all this time, crafting his own conclusions, finally spoke up. His voice had lost the edge of a threat now, traipsing down a road of seemingly innocent curiosity. "How long have you known Alfred?" It seemed the Russian didn't care to look at the American, keeping his attention divided between Arthur and Francis.

"Personally, I didn't meet the lad until you all did, at the start of our _Journey_ together." Ivan watched as Francis nodded his head swiftly, letting Arthur's answer apply to him as well. The Russian hummed in thought, as if deciding whether or not he would continue to voice his questions, or if he would instead wait for the explanation to continue. The latter appeared to be his choice as he nodded for Arthur to continue.

"It's all rather simple if you bother to consider it really. Truly… leaving the fate of our clan up to little more than chance? Relying upon an alliance forged before the world was ruined? No, I think not. We took steps, careful measures. We took risks to ensure that _we_ would be the Clan that thrives." The answers came to Kiku's mind just moments before they were spoken aloud.

"Your clan has been to the surface… has been going to the surface… far longer than judged safe." There was a sort of wonder in Ivan's voice at that, yet he sounded quite assured. He even turned violent eyes to Francis, as if measuring the man anew. "Both of your clans have…"

"That was a dangerous gamble, aru." Yao shook his head, giving off a mild sigh.

"Perhaps, but a successful one in the end. After all… we were able to properly groom the Americans back to their proper function over the course of the years… and of course… none knew. They suspected nothing." His smug voice was dampened predictably by Francis's words.

"_We_ knew, Arthur. You would not have been successful had we not also assisted in your… efforts." Before the situation could devolve into a petty argument Ivan cleared his throat.

"So you have modified the Americans, then, da? You have changed them? You have found a way to make them obey only you?" Arthur nodded, waving his hand rather dismissively.

"Exactly. Of course I didn't have a _personal_ hand in the matter, no. As the Representative who'd be making the _Journey_, well, I had better endeavors to consume my time. But others in the clan, it was their duty to groom the Americans under false pretenses." He laughed, actually laughed at Alfred. For all the mockery in the tone, Kiku almost wondered if it wasn't a hollow sound. Joyless. "From what I was told, the fools were only too easy to trick. Get them as children, and anything is possible."

"How was it done?" Ivan asked, obviously keen to know if it could be done to him now. Arthur seemed to sense this and shrugged.

"As I say, I wasn't directly involved. As it was explained to me, a small collection of methods were employed to ensure total control and lack of suspicion on their part. Subliminal conditioning, personality training… specialized injections and, well... magic was involved not that any of you believe in it I'm sure." He did frown for a moment, shaking his head. "Granted… there perhaps were some side effects… his strength was not something I was told to expect… but certainly you can see you're in absolutely no danger? I am unable to recreate the processes that bound him to me… and he's been perfectly crafted for our use."

"_Your_ use," Yao corrected. Arthur flashed an empty smile.

"My use, and I am your ally. Hence, this has all been blown out of proportion." Arthur's tone was triumphant, secure in his knowledge he was no longer in a position of danger or suspicion. He seemed almost too pleased when once again Francis was the center of attention.

"How are you involved, comrade? Do _you_ know how to do this?" Ivan didn't need to make any threatening motions, yet he tapped his pipe impatiently upon his hand anyway, perhaps enjoying the way Francis seemed to squirm.

"Of course I do not! Ah… well you see… there was a certain level of… collaboration on this, yes? Though it was perhaps more of a competition. We shared certain notes while we both… we both ran our own version of this… this experiment." He looked to the ground, but only for a moment. It wasn't wise to ignore Ivan. "Our version was not… usable."

Apparently satisfied, Ivan turned his back on Francis and Arthur, moving to stand before Alfred. He looked deep into the American's eyes, using his pipe to carefully tilt the other's chin, forcing a steady gaze between them. Kiku could only imagine the look that must be in the American's eyes, the feelings at hearing about this. The humiliation alone had to be maddening. It was no wonder he found the American to be just a little 'off' in his personality and actions. Whatever had been done to him had obviously warped him without the youth knowing.

"That is a good look," he heard Ivan whisper to Alfred, something dangerously pleased in his violet eyes. Kiku was no longer in a position to see much of Alfred's reaction, but he didn't feel he needed to. Betrayal, even by a casual acquaintance, stung. Betrayal from someone who was supposed to be your ally had to hurt even more.

Kiku turned his gaze away, realizing that soon enough attention would return to him. He did not wish to give away how interested he'd been in this entire conversation. Resting behind a mask of indifference, he began to wonder if perhaps… _perhaps_… he could find an ally in the American. _'Well… if not an actual ally, perhaps he could be… persuaded… to release me.'_ It would certainly be an act of defiance, something Kiku thought the youth might be utterly salivating for. Besides, this alliance was all but crumbling before his eyes. He sensed that it was only a matter of time before they all turned on each other.

Guessing that nothing could be done until Arthur fell asleep, Kiku resolved to get some rest. Hopefully in sleep Arthur would lose control, and hopefully the American was so fixated on heroics that he wouldn't immediately get up to seek vengeance on his manipulator. _'Heroics, the obsession with doing 'good'… yet another safeguard to stop him from disobeying?'_ It was pitiful.

Hopefully, it would also be useful for Kiku.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

The darkness melted away, giving in to the daylight, lifting the curtain for at least one happy reunion. After wandering and fretting and hoping he'd gone to the proper rendezvous point, Feliciano was overjoyed to see two blond figures coming his way. Granted, he would have absolutely melted into a puddle of euphoria if he'd seen not just two blonds but also his brother and Kiku, but the Italian was a young man who could appreciate the small miracles in life with a smile.

Ignoring his fatigue and bounding over like a puppy, Feliciano did indeed throw himself into Ludwig. The muscular blond, though obviously surprised at such a warm and physical welcome, could only react on instinct. His arms came up, carefully catching Feliciano, mindful of the still injured arm. The Italian squirmed, apparently refusing to be denied a hug of reunion. Like a worm he wiggled his way right up against the German's chest, wrapping his good arm around the man in bliss.

Blushing red and out of his depth, Ludwig gave stilted pats to Feliciano's back.

"Ve~ Ludwig! Ludwig is safe now! I'm so relieved! Now we can get Kiku back and Lovi back and then we can all complete the _Journey_ then have pasta together!" His excited babble, humorous as it was, also brought a smile to the corners of the German's mouth. The pain he felt in separating from Gilbert once again was eased by his alliance's personal bundle of sunshine. He gave out a sigh, shaking his head before carefully prying the Italian off of him.

"Settle down Feliciano," Ludwig said, and driven by an impulse he couldn't quite figure out, he gave the auburn hair on the Italian's head a fond little pat. The smaller man just grinned wider, bouncing a bit on the balls of his feet as he looked up at his companion.

"I'm so glad you're ok!" The German felt his cheek heat up rather intensely, and all he could do was cough. He was spared needing to say anything when the Italian suddenly abandoned him, moving instead to grab onto the stuffed paw of the strangely floating bear doll. "And thank you so much for saving him Kumalini! I couldn't have done it without you~"

"I-It's Kumagoro…" said a meek voice, coming from the man who seemed to fade in from nowhere. Ludwig tensed as he momentarily fought to recall who this person could be, before relaxing just slightly. He was still wary of this man's motives… he still wasn't certain he could be trusted. Feliciano, however, didn't seem to have any reservations for the young man. "You're very welcome, though I'm very sorry we couldn't rescue your brother as well…"

The Canadian seemed genuinely sorry, and Feliciano's smile softened further. He moved to touch Matthew's hand instead of just his bear's, giving a physical show of his appreciation. Then he stepped back, placing his good hand over his heart while shutting his eyes. "Don't worry… Lovino is ok… I can feel it. Big brother… he… he knew it had to work that way. So… so we'll meet again later. I know we will. He came all this way to find me for something, so we'll meet again." His words were filled with the strength of a true believer, of the faithful. It seemed that somehow, the Italian had lost any doubts during the night.

"Well then… if you're sure… then… should we focus on saving your other companion?" The Canadian looked to Ludwig for confirmation on this, having easily assessed the power structure between these two. The German man debated for a moment if he wished to involve Matthew in this. Part of him screamed no, especially as he was now unarmed… but the very fact that he was unarmed impressed the need for additional assistance. He was reluctant, but he would be careful.

"Yes. As Gilbert did not capture Kiku, it can be assumed that he was taken by the Five Allies we encountered before." It was at this moment that Feliciano piped up, raising his hand as he spoke like an excited student.

"Oh oh… and Matthew said he has business with them, right?" Unable to read the worsening atmosphere he'd just created between the blonds, Feliciano waited for the answer. Slowly Matthew nodded, his face friendly and shy as ever, even if he snuggled his bear a bit closer.

"Yeah… I do…" It was such an unassuming voice, so nonthreatening. It made Ludwig's hairs stand on end, but he said nothing.

"Then you know where they might have headed? You have information on them that we could use in saving our companion?" If it simply came down to a case of Matthew using them to gain something from those Allies, Ludwig wouldn't mind. Not so long as they did indeed save Kiku without losing anything in the process. If, however, Matthew was out to do something that might negatively impact his own allies… then the German man would need to be prepared to act. Swiftly, too.

"I think I can find them… I have… well, I'm sure we can track them. I… I haven't actually met all of the Representatives in their group… but I'll answer any questions you can think of." Ludwig nodded his head, and took a seat. Matthew did the same while Feliciano started to rummage through his pack. Carefully he started pulling out the rations to prepare a cold breakfast. They'd need their energy if they were going to race off and save Kiku.

* * *

**A/N:**

Clan England… Clan France… deviously evil? Or is there more to the story (insert dramatic music). I'm a dork.

Who likes good news? Well, sort of good news. It's highly likely you'll get another update next week! It's not guaranteed this time, but the next chapter is coming along well.

The Axis will reunite soon I promise! There shall be more happy scenes for them! There shall _eventually_ be more Antonio and Lovino and Gilbert! And and (again, _eventually_), Elizaveta and Roderich!

Reviewers/Readers… you know I love you all. Always. You all rock my socks. Even if I don't wear them.

Oh, and for those who celebrate it, Happy Halloween.


	11. Chapter 11

Much to Kiku's displeasure, he'd not found the opportunity to attempt any sort of alliance with the American. While indeed it did seem as though Arthur's iron hold on the youth dropped once he went to sleep, no immediate repercussions came from Alfred. The blond hadn't charged the man, hadn't sought any sort of vengeance. No, all Alfred had done was stalk off into the night, watched with half interest by Yao who was on first watch.

That was yet another expected yet unwelcome hurdle to any sort of escape attempts. These Allies, dysfunctional as they were, weren't so stupid they didn't keep watch. The Representative of Clan China had gone first, sitting by their camp fire and idly petting that small black and white bear he carried in the basket he wore on his back. He'd gone to examine the broken remnants of Arthur's chair at one point, but of course he didn't share his thoughts on the matter with Kiku.

The only thing the man did do was make certain that Kiku had water and even a few meager bites of a dried sweet ration. The flavor reminded Kiku of sweet sesame seeds, and overall the subtle taste was pleasing. Other than that, no conversation passed between them. Though the Japanese clansman did work to loosen his restraints discreetly through the night, he was still surrounded and unable to do anything else. He dozed lightly here and there, remaining as vigilant as he could, noting the passage of time by identifying if a new watch was set.

With the rising of the sun Alfred had returned, and it seemed that somewhere in the night the blond had regained his obnoxiously upbeat persona. _'Perhaps he's simply gone mad from yesterday's events and a lack of sleep.'_ The blond, wired and jittery, certainly looked drained and exhausted behind his glasses.

The quintet seemed to decide, by some unspoken agreement, not to bring up last night's unsavory subject. Typically, Kiku wouldn't have minded. He had to admit that it was a path many in his clan often preferred. Unfortunately, to escape, Kiku needed _something_ to work with. Anything. He was being given nothing, simply the semi-functioning Alliance and their goals.

Narrowing his eyes, Kiku suddenly had to wonder just what their goals were precisely. Completing the_ Journey_, yes obviously. But… why were they keeping him alive and a hostage? Why not simply finish him? _'Do they plan to use me… to circumvent the consequences of the _Journey_? Are they going to make _me_ pay the price for them?'_

It was entirely possible, and the Japanese man would sooner die than allow such a fate. It brought to mind his sword, and he looked about the camp again, hoping to see it with the clear light of day. He thought he saw his traveling gear near the Russian, and made a mental note that his weapon was likely near. He hoped. If they'd simply left it behind…

"Are you willing to cooperate, aru?" Kiku snapped his attention up, internally panicked that he hadn't noticed Yao coming to speak to him, yet outwardly keeping his face blank. Boring. Neutral. It was a skill so practiced you'd almost think it worthy to call a _Quality_. The Chinese Clansman knelt down, again offering him clean water and some food to ward off the cramps of hunger. Kiku politely thanked him, despite their enemy status, before cocking his head to the side.

"Cooperate?" His tones were modulated so carefully they were almost void of emotion, and it almost made it difficult to tell that Kiku had asked a question rather than simply made a statement.

"Will you follow us peacefully, or are we going to have to carry you again?" Yao clarified, giving a short smile to Kiku, as if for some reason he wished for peaceful relations. Kiku made a small noise in the back of his throat, non-committal as ever.

"Will you untie me if I agree?" He knew the answer, but asking would keep them talking, and in this manner he might glean more information. He was loathe to bring attention to his restraints, lest they check them and find them now loose, but at the same time he wanted them to feel he was still bound. The Chinese man shook his head, ponytail swishing along his shoulder as he did.

"I'm afraid not, aru. Surely you see why that wouldn't be a good idea?" Had he been a man for dramatics, Kiku would have sighed. However, his aggravation got the best of him for just a moment, and he couldn't help the tsk of annoyance that cut through his lips. Yao pulled back almost as if he'd been struck or traumatized. It was almost comedic, or rather, it was close enough that someone began to laugh. Alfred of course.

"Don't be mad at Yao, it's not his fault ya know? It's just if we let ya go you might start swinging that sword of yours around, and man… my arm still hurts where ya cut it, ya know? Seriously dude, behave and walk, kay? I don't wanna carry you." The American plopped himself down, wincing when a rock nearly jabbed him someplace he _really_ wouldn't want to have injured.

Both Asian men scrutinized the blond carefully, watching for some of the anger that simply _had_ to be inside. More than dwell on that thought, however, Kiku saw he'd just been handed an incredible opportunity. Of course nothing might come of it, but if he was once again carried by the American…

"Time to get moving," Ivan's rather cheerful voice carried over the camp, and two pairs of expectant eyes were locked to Kiku. His mind resolved, Kiku looked Alfred in the eye. It was a meaningful gaze. Purposeful. The younger man quirked an eyebrow, confused. Yao suffered no such confusion, however. He backed away from the two, shaking his head.

"It would not have hurt you to walk aru. It could have been… nice." Still, no matter what the Chinese man had been hoping for, Kiku had to stay true to his goals. Alfred groaned and cast a look towards Ivan. Kiku shuddered inwardly at the thought of possibly getting carried by that man instead. Yes… he'd be closer to his gear and his sword… however he doubted he'd be able to escape that man or engage his assistance.

"I apologize if I'm a burden…" he said, bowing his head. Of course if they simply let him go he wouldn't be, but alas, that wasn't logic that was going to work. He was awarded with a far too hearty slap to his shoulder, the American laughing it off before hauling Kiku up over his shoulder again. Thankfully the American didn't notice that the jolt had almost caused the loosened restraints to slip right off of Kiku's slender wrist!

Taking a moment to discreetly look about, Kiku couldn't help but notice that Arthur had collected some pieces of his chair into his pack, and that he was decidedly not looking at or speaking to Alfred. Francis didn't act as if anyone else existed around him at all. Those two were no doubt still dealing with their little revelations, and time would certainly decide just what would come of the actions of their clans.

In the midst of all this turmoil, Kiku was surprised to find he missed Ludwig and Feliciano on a personal level. Not just as allies… but for the people they were. These five men were a testament to what could be when you weren't compatible on a personal level. The Japanese man was actually struck, realizing how lucky he'd gotten. Even more, he wished to get back to them.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

It took a few days for Ludwig, Feliciano, and Matthew to track down and catch up to the Allies. Yet another day passed by as they worked to overtake them, seeking out a location to ambush the group at, laying traps and preparing for the worst. Though the Allies, according to Matthew, weren't heavily armed, the loss of Ludwig's weaponry was a significant handicap.

Feliciano was pleased to know that their plans to rescue Kiku did _not_ involve yet another fake surrender. Not only would he start to feel like a one trick pony, but the Allies couldn't possibly be stupid enough to fall for it again! Just how many times could that plan be used anyway?

No, this time they'd hurried on, seeking out the best terrain they could, and plotting out a method to surround the Allies with the use of the high ground. To tempt the five into following the path they wanted, they would start leaving some clues of their passing here and there. Make small signs of distress or weakness visible. There was always the chance the five wouldn't go for it… but Matthew was so certain they'd at least be curious.

"Are you… truly sure… that he'll help us?" Feliciano cast timid eyes towards Ludwig as the blond man voiced, yet again, his concern over one key part of their plan. The Italian could tell very clearly tell that his German ally was skeptical. As had happened each time before, Matthew's face grew serious, his eyes a bit cold no matter how softly he repeated his answer.

"Absolutely sure." The Canadian took a deep breath, looking between the two men. "But it's absolutely important that we take down the Representative of Clan England _first_. This plan will work, but he must absolutely be taken out of the battle, and if possible… Clan France's Representative as well."

Ever squeamish with the concept of death and murder, Feliciano shuddered. "But by take down, you just mean we have to knock them unconscious, right? We don't actually have to _kill_ them, right?" Ludwig gave him an almost pitying look, but Matthew nodded, sympathetic.

"Right, just knock them unconscious. I'd rather not kill anyone either… especially not… well… let's hope everyone lives, ok?" Feliciano brightened and gave one sharp vigorous nod of his head.

"Right! Ve, I'll do my best!" The Italian turned his attention to Ludwig, fired up and anxious to get Kiku back. It was a new day, a new morning, and with any luck the five Allies would stumble upon them today. Feliciano's spirits were also bolstered by his healing arm, able to use it once more and not feeling nearly as useless and inept as he'd been.

"… the Russian troubles me… I don't like the idea of ignoring him without knowing for certain that…" Ludwig admitted as he turned away, watchful and waiting for their prey. Matthew rose, zipping his bear into his jacket, clearing his hands free and started to move off to his position. He turned his head to look at Ludwig, though with the cracked lens as a barrier between their eyes it was difficult to gauge the Canadian's thoughts.

"I told you, he'll help us. You won't have to worry about the Russian Representative…" Feliciano frowned, feeling the tension, but there was nothing for it. With a silent little cheer to himself, he waved goodbye to Ludwig to get into position as well. Time to be brave… time to be brave… he could do this. For Kiku! For his clan! For Ludwig and Matthew. For Lovino! For… for pasta!

xoxoxoxoxoxox

"Huh? That's weird…" Kiku's heart nearly stopped as Alfred uttered those words. His eyes swiftly shot about, looking to see if anyone had reacted, fear gripping his chest like a vice. Steady beats returned to his chest as he was allowed a half second of relief. No one had heard the American… an amazing stroke of good fortune. Kiku was grateful that the other four were currently preoccupied in scanning something up ahead, leaving Alfred alone with Kiku behind them all.

At last, he had the American Representative _alone_ with him. At last he had a clear chance to try to talk to him without being overheard.

If only his restraints hadn't just slipped off!

Alfred was crouched down in front of him, a stupidly unguarded position, holding and examining the unraveled bindings. He looked thoughtfully confused, turning the ends this way and that, almost more concerned about the knots being undone versus the implications of it all. Namely that Kiku was standing here… free. Perfectly able to run away or attack if he so chose. No, the American didn't seem worried about that at all. Instead he held up one end of the bindings for Kiku to see.

"Did'ja know that it was coming off?" The Japanese man hesitated, thrown off by how stupid the question was but also how loaded. If it was just stupidity on Alfred's part, then there would be no trouble no matter what Kiku answered. However… if this was some sort of test… Kiku knew his words would have to be chosen very carefully. He averted his eyes for a moment before answering.

"I had considered it," he said simply, vaguely. The American let out a long, low hum, as if not entirely convinced. Turning his head to look towards his companions, the blonde started to rise from his crouch. That loud mouth of his opened, and Kiku knew he needed to interrupt those words. _Now._

"I have been hoping I could speak with you," he forced out, as quickly as he could. His tone wasn't as forceful as he would have liked, tempered and polite even if he was demanding attention here. It seemed to do the trick, for Alfred returned his attention to Kiku, crossing his arms and tilting his head to the side, frowning slightly.

"Oh yeah? Well ya know, heroes don't talk with villains. I mean… there's banter during a fight or something… or the hero demands the villain mend his ways but… well… they don't fraternize and stuff." Kiku could all but see his window of opportunity closing away on him, and his mind raced to find some sort of hook.

"Ah… mend his ways you say?" Yes… perhaps he could use that? Although he found he was reluctant, being seen as a villain causing a sharp stab to his pride, it was worth trying. Still, Alfred's eyes had perked up a bit, and Kiku saw some hope for escape returning.

"Uh huh… because sometimes the villain didn't know any better… couldn't help it. Sometimes the villain needs to be saved." The American looked Kiku over slowly, searching for something, before turning to look over his shoulder. Kiku followed his gaze as well, watching as the other four were examining the terrain up ahead a bit still. As his eyes caught upon the back of the English representative, Kiku's mind suddenly snapped into a plan. His dark orbs almost seemed to come to life with conviction.

"Alfred-san," he said, his voice deep with the vehemence of his words, enough of a change to startle the younger blonde. He thought for a moment he should reach out and grab Alfred's shoulders to drive home his next words. His upbringing, however, screamed and stopped him. No doubt Feliciano would have been able to do it with ease. Kiku would simply have to get his point across with words.

Looking as serious as possible, Kiku drew his body up to his full height, white uniform falling into sharp lines as he did so. He locked his dark eyes to sunny blue, tried to look behind the cracked lens of the glasses and took a deep breath. "Alfred-san… I am here to save you. You are being manipulated by a villain… I… wish to free you."

The American stared at him in shock, mouth parting to a tiny little 'o' for a moment. Then the fool started laughing, that loud, horrible, obnoxious laugh that could echo through canyons and be heard half way around the world. Kiku's pulse spiked as he looked off at the other four Allies. Only the Russian seemed to look back at them, his expression impossible to see thanks to the distance and the scarf that obscured the lower half of his face. Kiku felt a tiny bit of sweat trickle down his back, but the dreaded approach never came.

The Russian looked back at them for a while and then… inexplicably, turned away again. The Japanese clansman knew there had to be no way Ivan didn't notice that there was nothing tying up Kiku's white uniform. The lack of restraints was painfully obvious at a glance. _'So then… what is he thinking? What is he doing?'_

Alfred's laughter finally died off, the blond tugging his glasses off so he could wipe at his eyes, pushing away tears of mirth. "Hahahaha… hahahaha… oh man… haha… haaaaa… that was a good one there. Phew. Warn a guy before you make a joke like that, I almost broke my side there laughing! Heck, I could have suffocated or something." A great big happy grin was plastered on his face as he struggled for composure, and it was overly obvious he wasn't taking this seriously.

Kiku frowned at him, unflinching, standing his ground and trying to impress his seriousness in the matter. "It is no joke Alfred-san…"

"Of course it is!" The American spoke right over him, waving his hand in a spastic dismissive gesture. "I already know you're the villain, Artie _told me_ you guys were back when we first saw ya! And if you were really a hero you guys wouldn't have run away from that fight. _And_ when we fought you guys again the other day you _never_ said anything about being a hero! Hell, you haven't said anything about being a hero the whole time we've had you."

He strangled a sigh of frustration, finding a dead space in the American's rambling and lunging into it. "I couldn't tell you, I couldn't say it in front of them." Alfred's lips were opening again, a tide of words about to break free. "I couldn't say it in front of Arthur-san!"

The name worked like a slap, bringing out a tiny flinch in the American and an inkling of doubt and hurt. The topic, the event, the subjugation that everyone had brushed aside… Kiku dragged it out and dusted it off for Alfred to see. To face. To acknowledge. The blonde squirmed almost like a scolded child, something a bit petulant stealing into his features. The American's mouth was moving, silently trying to form words, failing to latch onto some sort of easy explanation. Alfred obviously wanted to defend Arthur and it was almost painful to watch him try. A bit of sympathy crept into Kiku's face.

"He… he…" Alfred was reaching and stretching for an answer. Kiku shook his head.

"He used you… he is using you." The Japanese man delivered the words gently yet with conviction, he could not leave room for Alfred to doubt him. Still, the American shook his head no, vehement in the motion.

"Artie is my friend! We're friends, we're allies!" Anger was stealing into Alfred's voice, which of course was making it louder. Not as loud as his laugh had been, but soon it would reach a volume to attract attention. Kiku doubted the Russian would overlook an obvious argument.

"Forgive me for saying this, but I do not believe he sees you as an ally. Pardon my rudeness in my presumption, but I believe that to him you are a tool… a puppet… a possession…" Kiku wasn't ready for the fury that radiated from Alfred at those words, taking an actual step back. Of course it would be now that he would be reminded of the blonde's ridiculous strength, of that unhinged bravery and aggressiveness. Oh yes, Kiku was free… that didn't make him immune to damage.

"I'm nobody's possession!" The words snapped out of Alfred with the force of a physical blow, whip sharp and ready to draw blood. A seething tremor raced over the American's skin, his hands balling into fists at his side. The dark haired man raised his hand up in a subtle placating gesture.

"Ah, of course you're not. That… is why I am here…" The American cut him off, body shifting as he took a step closer to Kiku. A strong hand reached out, grabbing Kiku's arm and almost crushing the bone as it tightened and bruised him. If only he had his sword, he'd feel much more at ease.

"I don't need to be rescued! I'm the hero!" Kiku bit his lip. He was losing him… his attempt wasn't going to work. Whatever conditioning had been implanted into this young man's mind… it didn't seem to allow him to be rational over this. "Artie would never—"

The words were cut off when suddenly said man let out a panicked yell. Alfred spun, looking to see what had happened yet never letting go of the Japanese man. The English clansman was nowhere to be seen. Kiku strained his sight as well, curious and trapped. The other three were rushing away, further into a boxed in cluster of electrical towers and ruined sheds. The American swore under his breath and started to rush forward, ready to drag Kiku along with him like a doll.

To keep from falling and getting dragged over rocky and dangerous terrain Kiku raced along with him, trying to match his shorter strides to the longer American ones. Dimly he saw the Russian draw out his pipe, and Kiku's heart sped up.

* * *

**A/N:**

I'm ashamed… 'next week'… I didn't even get close. Sigh. Anyway, this story is NOT dead, and I'm so committed to finishing this baby it's ridiculous! THANK YOU to all my reviewers who I failed to respond to (and I got some VERY lovely reviews that make me feel like a jerk for not addressing personally). Your words mean the world to me, even if I don't respond.

Update schedule is still shaky, but I think I want this fic to finish more than anyone else. I'll get there!


	12. Chapter 12

"_Don't worry about it Arthur, you won't be doing anything wrong."_

"_He's just an American, absolutely annoying even for them."_

"_This is what we keep Colony 13 around for, we don't need to remind _you_ of this."_

"_It's for the sake of Clan England, that's all we should have to tell you."_

"_Believe us, you won't like him at all."_

"_You'll hate him."_

"_He's truly an insufferable child… stupid, too."_

"_Trust us on this Arthur."_

"_Make our clan proud Arthur."_

"_Do whatever it takes…"_

"…"

"_Heya, you're Artie, right? Yo! I'm Alfred F. Jones! Don't ask what the F stands for cuz I don't know haha, and call me Al! This is awesome, nice to meet you at last! Whoa hey, are those really your eyebrows? Hahahaha… do you really talk to invisible ponies and faeries and stuff… hey where are ya goin' Artie? Artie? Haha, we're supposed to work together haha…"_

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Arthur snapped back to attention, the misty haze of disjointed memories clearing away as he fought to regain consciousness. Blinking his green eyes rapidly, scowling at the tight area around him, he knew he couldn't have been down for more than a few moments. Still, a few moments in the midst of battle could be the difference between life and death. Ignoring the blood that was oozing down his face in quickly cooling trails, he pushed up against the debris strewn earth and regained his feet.

"Ludwig, he's up again!" Arthur spun towards the source of the voice, looking up through the tangled skeletons of ruined electrical towers. _There!_ There was the Italian, crouched high up on a metal rafter, holding on for dear life but calling out what was going on. The Representative of Clan England ground his teeth, seething. He _knew_ he'd seen the Italian crawling about these towers, he should have known it was a trap! _'But I could have sworn he took off from the battlefield alone… obviously things changed.'_

Knowing that it wasn't the _Italian_ who'd triggered the trap that'd caught him upside the head, Arthur started to look about for the German, knowing the cry he'd made when he was first hit and knocked down into this pit would have alerted his allies. The slow bastards, they should be here assisting him by now! Well, Arthur didn't need to rely on them at any rate! He moved to the sides of the pit, grimacing to note that whoever had dug it out had done a solid job of smoothing out the sides. Climbing up was going to be difficult.

A shadow suddenly loomed overhead, and he saw the imposing form of the German representative. The man didn't have his rifle in hand, but he carried a bar of metal, no doubt scored from the remains of the towers or one of the crumbling sheds. Arthur immediately crouched down, putting his body too low to get hit by any sort of swing from the man. The blond above him scowled, face drawn into a deathly serious mask of business. Arthur reached down quickly to his waist, pulling out his gun and taking aim. The German barely had time to get out of the line of fire.

"Hurry, you need to knock him out!" Arthur scowled at the voice, not recognizing it at all but already marking it as an enemy. He wasted no time in reloading his gun, knowing it was possibly the only thing that would keep the German man from lunging down into this pit to grapple him into submission. Arthur was a fair hand at boxing and self defense, but the German had size on him if nothing else… and Arthur didn't believe there was 'nothing else' in this equation. No doubt the German had merciless hand to hand combat training to show off.

Though of course Arthur carried more than the antique he was wielding now, it was certainly a favored weapon for him. Perhaps some would question the use of a gun that had to be reloaded after each firing when there were automatics that would chew through ammo (and you) before you could reload. Tradition, holding on to ancient ways… these were important to Arthur at least. He didn't shun advancement, but there was just a certain something about holding onto the past.

No sooner had the German come back towards the edge of the pit did Arthur hear a voice, one that made him smile even if he didn't like the speaker. "Ah! If it isn't our old friends from before, come to play with us. Oh, and you have a metal bar… shall I introduce it to my pipe?" The Russian's sing song childlike voice had never been as welcome before as it was now. The German flicked a gaze down at Arthur, as if he needed to take care of the man first, but the rushing heavy footsteps gave him no time. The German charged forward to meet the Russian, leaving Arthur alone to climb out of the pit.

"Ve, ve Ludwig look out! Behind you!" Up above the Italian was still shouting out, playing watch and giving warnings. A warning was called out about Yao joining into the fray as well. The Italian said nothing about the Frenchman, but that no good lout was probably hiding away and pretending to help out. Worthless. Arthur continued to work against the walls of this pit, trying very hard to climb his way out. He couldn't jump high enough to catch the ledge, but perhaps if someone cast a hand down to him, he could jump to it, be pulled up.

He truly hated to rely on others, but this was just using the tools he'd been given, right? Taking a deep breath, he cupped his hands around his mouth to project the sound better.

"America, come pu—"

"Ah, no, that's not going to happen…" A meek voice right beside him caught him by surprise, as did the hands that suddenly gripped him and pressed something over his nose. Arthur jerked about, trying to catch sight of whoever was assailing him, but completely unable to see anyone. He struggled and fought, realizing he was being rendered mute while being slowly suffocated. He dug his heels into the dirt below him and pushed back as hard as he could, shoving the body behind him back against the wall of the pit. The man let out a small 'oof' of strain and pain, but those arms on him didn't let up.

Arthur continued to struggle, but with his airway blocked off it was a losing battle. His ears started ringing and his vision was pinching into darkness faster and faster. He rolled his eyes to the side, trying for one last time to see his attacker, and was mildly alarmed when he thought he saw Alfred…

xoxoxoxoxoxox

"You tricked us! This is an ambush!" Alfred stopped dragging Kiku along suddenly as they came close enough to the scene of combat to see what was going on. The German representative was battling against Ivan and Yao while the Italian was perched up in the tower, calling out warnings. Kiku and Alfred both looked about, spying Francis as he tried to discreetly start climbing his way towards the Italian, but neither one able to catch sight of just where Arthur might be. "Artie? Artie where are ya buddy? Answer me!"

As Alfred looked about he forgot to keep his grip on Kiku, and the Japanese man wasted no time in swiftly jerking away. Alfred gasped and tried to quickly snatch him back, but Kiku was smaller and quicker, and certainly not about to be caught again so easily. He turned and dashed towards one of the towers, hearing the American grumbling and giving chase after him, knowing that once the element of surprise was over Alfred would certainly be able to outrun and catch him.

Nimbly as he could, Kiku dove through a patch of tangled and twisted metal, feeling his uniform get caught on a jagged edge but never slowing down. He needed to use his smaller size to create space and distance away from Alfred. The sound of the American griping as he started twisting metal out of his way was more than enough incentive for Kiku to keep moving.

"Some heroes you guys are!" Alfred shouted after him as the young man twisted and tugged and bent metal out of his way, climbing over pieces that were too sharp or troublesome to move. "Trying to trap us like this!"

Kiku started to climb one of the towers, seeing a fence he'd probably be able to hop over if he made it to the top. "Ah, but I recall you all surrounded us in our sleep… that does not seem heroic…"

"Hey! We waited for you all to wake up before we did anything! That's what good guys do!" There was a loud groan of metal and a sharp curse. Kiku chanced a glance back and saw that the American had found himself a bit stuck, the metal just too twisted and belligerent to move for him. The blond looked this way and that, looking for a better way to get to Kiku. With an 'aha!' the blond raced away, leaving Kiku to internally panic. He didn't wait until he'd lost sight of the American, he hurried higher and for that wall. He needed to get back to his companions, he needed to get back his blade.

The metal was rusting and covered with filth, and the stench of it filled Kiku's nose as he continued on. There were some cables here and there for him to content with, loose and thankfully not full of electrical current, draping and coiling over the metal of the tower like lounging snakes. They made some parts of his climb slippery and more dangerous, and he cursed inwardly that they weren't strong or steady enough to be useful.

Not far from him, Kiku could hear the sounds of metal striking metal, Ludwig doing his best to fight off not just the pipe wielding Russian but the wok bearing Chinese Representative. Kiku wasn't certain how long Ludwig could hold his own against the two, and the Japanese man desperately wanted to claim his sword and prove his superiority in martial combat. The wall came into view and Kiku swept his eyes about. No American, this was his chance to drop down now and make a run for it.

He landed with a crackling thud, the dirt and stones beneath him crunching under the sudden sharp weight. Kiku kept in a crouch after landing, dark eyes peering about yet again just in case Alfred was hiding somewhere, ready to strike. _'Ah but that would not be heroic… so he… will be waiting somewhere obvious for me…'_ The thought was unpleasant, but Kiku wasn't going to waste any more time. He began to sprint around the fence, away from the tower he'd climbed, and towards where he thought the Russian would have dropped his gear.

It was with grim satisfaction that he spied Alfred standing over his belongings, _Kiku's_ blade held, still sheathed, in his hands. The blonde was grinning away at him, looking all too proud of himself as he waited. The Japanese man slowed to a walk, lips drawn into a tight line. Ludwig's battle raged behind the American, but Alfred had seen as well as Kiku did now that there was no need to rush to the Russian or Chinese Representative's assistance. They had the upper hand, and they were wearing Ludwig down.

A cry overhead alerted Kiku to the fact that Francis had nearly climbed his way towards Feliciano. The two were playing an unsteady game of cat and mouse up on the towers, moving and hiding and trying not to fall. There was no time… Kiku needed to join the fray to even things out. The numbers were too lopsided to be fair. Kiku held out his hand to the American slowly as he approached, holding his dark eyes to those blue ones. If the American really truly believed that he was a hero and a defender of justice… then he would hand over the sword. Play fair.

"No tricks from me," Alfred said as he placed the familiar weight into Kiku's hands. As the singing swish of the blade being drawn from its sheathe filled the air, Kiku watched Alfred step back, cracking his knuckles. It was this again, then. One on one, sword against fist. The opponents squared off, circling each other just slightly before Kiku paused, drawing his sword up and back to chin height with the tip poised forward, going still as he moved to the stance to strike. Alfred dropped his hands to his side as he leaned forward, fists open loose as if preparing to catch or tackle the other.

It was almost dramatic, the gust of wind that blew by them, ruffling hair and the American's bomber jacket. Heartbeats could have been counted as muscles prepared to go into action. Kiku was confident, certain of his skill. He didn't want to kill the American, he didn't want to harm him when it seemed he was a victim of circumstance. Still, he respected Alfred's will, respected the challenge to fight. Kiku had vowed to fight for his clan, to succeed in _The Journey_. If he must draw the blood of an enemy to do so, then so be it.

It would be difficult to say just who moved first, whose foot pivoted for support first, whose legs pushed and propelled them forward before the other. Two bodies snapped towards each other, steel leading Kiku's steps, the deadly edge of his sword making no sound as it sliced through the air towards his opponent. The sun glinted off the blade, glinted off the cracks of Alfred's glasses, and with a sudden rush of sound the commotion of a body crashing to the ground filled the air.

Kiku came to a skidding halt, pebbles flying away from his feet, taking a quick breath as his eyes traced the clean edge of his sword. Clean… not a drop of blood. He spun on his feet and gasped, seeing double.

Caught in a tangle of limbs as both young men tried to rise, Kiku watched in pensive curiosity as two nearly identical men attempted to get to their feet. At first glance, aside from their clothes, the Japanese representative wouldn't have been able to tell them apart. The more he stared, however, the more tiny little differences began to sink in. It was difficult, however, to not simply see Alfred's face on the other… or to see the other young man at all. He seemed to dip and fade from view even as the Japanese man looked right at him.

"Wha… what the heck? What…" Upright at last, Alfred stumbled away from the man who'd tackled him, adjusting his glasses over his wildly blinking eyes. He seemed horribly confused for a moment as he stared at his supposed doppelganger, mouth open in shock. The other blonde simply finished dusting himself off before fixing his own glasses and tossing a meek little smile. Kiku watched Alfred's face break into a sun rivaling smile.

"Mattie! You're here, you made it out after all!" The American all but tackled the other blonde as he lunged forward for a hug, the two young men embracing tightly and warm. Stunned for a moment, Kiku lost any sort of second strike advantage, too perplexed to make a move. His mind was working to try to piece this all together, everything seeming to become more grim. Yet _another_ addition to those Allies? _'Ah… but that wouldn't make sense. Five I understand… but six? That would break the rules of _The Journey_… no?'_

The embrace ended, though Alfred didn't pull away completely. He looped one arm over his twin's shoulder, his free hand coming to rest in his jacket pocket. The other man, having recovered his senses, undid the front of his coat just long enough to pull out a stuffed bear, closing his coat and then hugging it close. It seemed surreal, seeing these two standing together like this. It was a pose you'd expect to see from two small boys, from brothers perhaps. Not from two adults on the battlefield.

"We made a promise, eh? That we'd be together again," quiet as the voice was, Kiku was certain he heard anger in the tones. Alfred nodded his head, something unstable flitting through his blue eyes.

"Fuck yeah we did, and heroes don't break their promises. You and me Mattie…" The American trailed off, and the other picked up without missing a beat.

"The two of us before everyone else…."

"For the sake of our Clans…"

"For the sake of our Mother and Father."

The blondes locked eyes, Alfred's tooth baring grin seeming to fit perfectly against his twin's close lipped smile. Trying to read between the lines in the words, looking for any advantage he could glean, Kiku took a step back when their attention fixed to him. His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, and something almost feral and hungry seemed to flit over the faces of the blondes.

Cuddling his bear and shielding his face, the newcomer seemed to break the moment. "You don't have to be so scared… right now I'm on your side." When Kiku gave no answer, the other shook his head. "I led your companions here… my name is Matthew Williams, the Representative of Clan Canada."

Kiku frowned, as confused about his apparent new ally as he was at the fact that this man wasn't an American. How could these two share a mother and father… if they didn't share a Clan? These questions went unasked, and the American piped up instead.

"Wait a minute Mattie, he's one of the villains! We can't help him." Alfred shot his brother an incredulous look, and Matthew looked back at the ongoing fight from the corner of his eye.

"Because Arthur said so?" Alfred's silence was condemning, and Canada reached a hand up to pat his brother's shoulder. "Trust me Al… I won't lie to you. But… I need you to go help the German… can you stop the Russian?"

Alfred stared hard at the Canadian, and Kiku almost thought the American's reluctance had more to do with being told what to do than anything else. He was someone who loved to lead… or at the very least, loved to believe he was the leader. Blood loyalties must have won out, however, for Alfred soon turned on his heel, racing towards Ludwig and his fight. The Japanese Representative watched as the American charged the Russian, shouting his intentions and swinging a fist. Though it seemed Ivan was mildly surprised, the scarf clad man seemed to adjust to his new opponent rather swiftly.

"I'm glad I reached you two in time…" Kiku turned his attention back to the Canadian, who was watching him quietly from over the top of his bear. Meek and cautious as his posture was, Kiku didn't for a minute believe this blonde to be weak. "I really would have been upset if you'd hurt each other."

'_If I'd hurt him,'_ Kiku's mind translated. He nodded his head to the blonde, face neutral. "Yes, it is fortunate," he demurred. Looking up to the towers and seeing Feliciano had all but run out of towers to climb to, he gave the Canadian a bow. "If you will please excuse me, my ally needs me." The blonde made no argument, and the dark haired man was only too happy to rush off to the Italian's aid. He had much to think about as he made his climb.

**

* * *

A/N:**

I really do have so much fun typing this fic when I have the time to, haha. Ah well. Oh North American bros… you're both more than a touch crazy, aren't you?

Thanks for the reviews as always, and hope you all enjoyed this chapter.


	13. Chapter 13

Feliciano was pretty sure he was going to fall, and it was just as terrifying as anything else he'd faced on this Journey. Perched precariously at the end of a broken, twisted length of metal, arms and legs wrapped around it like an octopus holding on for dear life, he was sure this was it. The end. He had nowhere to flee to, and the horrible creaking and groaning noises coming from the beam seemed to indicate that if Feliciano didn't fall, the metal was happy to take matters into its own hands. The Italian gulped and stared towards the only possible escape route, one filled with the form of the French Representative.

The blond man seemed loathe to step and balance his way out towards Feliciano on the beam, sparing glances down at their rather impressive fall as he lingered on the relative safety of the platform he was on. The two had completely lost track of the battle below them, playing this cat and mouse game up in the twisting spindly electrical towers. It was certainly a blessing that no power ran through the rusting beasts, or else both men would have certainly met their end much much sooner.

"Come now, certainly working with us is _far_ preferable to falling?" The blond man was trying to coax him over, but Feliciano shook his head. He knew what this man would do if he got close, he knew about his Quality. The Italian didn't consider himself the 'leader' sort, but he wasn't about to become some slave! No way, not after everything he'd been through so far.

But he really didn't want to die here, either. He needed to think of a way out. He was out on a limb and... apparently, on his own for this.

"Ve..." He sighed out, worried and stalling for time. He doubted he could convince the man to join them, and he also doubted that mentioning he had relatives who lived in his Clan would mean very much at the moment. Pulling out his white flag would only lead to a kiss. His usual tricks were no good right now. "Ve..." This time, it was a much more worried and distressed sound.

The man seemed to deflate a bit, running a hand through blond hair tangled by their merry tower chase. He even offered the Italian a little smile. "Come now... you must realize this is the best way? And I will look out for you, I am not a cruel man." Feliciano just shook his head. "You must be reasonable. We have you all outnumbered, and you are cornered."

Feliciano really wished he had some bold witty words to toss out here. Instead he could only turn his head about, looking down and trying to catch a glimpse of the ground battles they'd moved away from. He could still hear metal hitting metal somewhere, but he'd lost any sort of line of sight.

The French Representative crouched down, as if trying to win over a shy kitten. "Please... you know my Clan remembers yours quite fondly, I'm certain that at my request, they will have to be generous in extending a helping hand to yours." The blond was reaching, trying to find anything to connect with the Italian it seemed. The auburn haired youth watched him, silent save a tiny couple of squeaks when his metal support groaned again. "Please, there is not much time! Trust me... trust... trust big brother. Yes... surely you could think of me as such?"

Feliciano shook his head. "I _have_ a brother-" His words were cut off in a frightened yell when the metal groaned and began to bend in earnest. Feliciano scrambled wildly, suddenly with no choice but to move towards Francis if he didn't want to fall. He had one moment of hesitation, and that almost cost him everything. The metal let out a sound almost like a shriek, and a momentary weightless feeling hit Feliciano as the beam started to fall. _'Oh god... I'm...'_ Wildly he flailed his arms and legs, wishing he was on the ground and _not_ after falling. He didn't even realize he was screaming until the wind was knocked out of him.

He coughed and sputtered and nearly saw stars, mind reeling from the abrupt physical jarring. But aside from his stomach and ribs aching... he felt... fine. The Italian blinked, trying to make sense of how he felt, and trying to figure out why it felt like he was swaying. His eyes stared at his arm... and followed it up. Right up to a couple of hands that were clenched around his wrist in a death grip. Further up, he saw the French Representative, flat on his belly, hair fallen completely in his face as he held Feliciano.

He'd... kept him from falling?

"Are you... really so... stupid...?" The man ground out, the strain of keeping Feliciano up making his speech stilted and uneven. "And has anyone ever told you that you are much heavier than you look?"

"Ve..." He honestly had no answer to give there. The Frenchman gave him a strained smile and started to tug.

"You will have to help me, come on now..." With that the two young men worked to heft Feliciano back onto the platform of the tower, both sweating and out of breath once done. Feliciano cradled his arm, wincing at the pain. At the very least he'd been caught by the arm he hadn't injured previously, though now both ached and stung. All things considered, pain was ok, since he was still alive. He turned his head, ready to thank the Frenchman for the help, even if he didn't understand _why_ he'd rescue him. Weren't they on opposing sides?

A glint of silver, of metal polished and sharp and not rusted and breaking, severed his eyed line. It came between him and Francis, and Feliciano let out a tiny 'eep' of shock. Following the silver edge, he gasped when he saw what was at the other end.

"Kiku!" God he wanted to jump up and hug the man. Now wasn't the time though, and the look on the Japanese representative's face was harder than Feliciano could remember seeing before.

"Move away from my ally, please," polite formal tones held an undercurrent of steel, and Feliciano shifted enough so that he could see Francis lift his hands in surrender, moving back just as asked. The blond man uttered a low sigh, looking for all the world like a man who just wanted to be done with some very unpleasant business.

"Yes yes, you have stopped me." The Frenchman let his head fall to the side softly, arching a brow. "What do you intend to do? I have harmed no one."

Kiku was silent, debating, and the Italian did notice the way those reserved dark eyes flicked to him for a moment.

"He did save me, Kiku..." It... really should count for something, right? There was no reason to hurt the French Representative, was there?

Chuckling softly, the French Representative sighed, leaning as if he wished to make himself more comfortable. He waved his hand, languidly and as if urging the two to leave. "Go, I have had enough of this farce of a Journey. Quite frankly I do not care if my allies and I fail."

"You don't?" Feliciano was shocked. Even Kiku seemed curious, though his expressions were always so tiny. Francis offered a thin smile and nodded.

"More than anything I was sent to ensure that if Clan England completed The Journey, well, Clan France would, too. We'd never allow them such an advantage over us!" He huffed then shrugged his shoulders rather elegantly. "However... there are ways to survive in these times without completing The Journey. Other Clans have attempted it, and it seems success can be found in other ways. The situation truly isn't as dire as you all make it out to be."

Feliciano could feel his eyebrows raise high, his curiosity running wild. Was there really an alternative? Something other than The Journey, which was pitting Clans against each other? Of course, Feliciano knew his duty, he'd continue on The Journey... but it would be good to know if there was something else that could be done. Just in case he failed. He... he refused to fail his Clan completely.

A twinkle hit the blue eyes of their enemy, a sly smirk on his lips. "You wonder what those ways are, no? Well, I am afraid I simply cannot share them with an enemy... even one with a dangerous sword. Perhaps if you join us... or perhaps when this is all over... I might be able to speak more freely."

It wasn't a 'good' answer, but it seemed to satisfy Kiku. He placed a hand on Feliciano's shoulder after sheathing his sword. "Come, let us go assist Ludwig-san." He turned and gave a short bow towards the French Representative, who tipped his head in return. For a moment, Feliciano didn't move, dividing his attention between his ally climbing down and this man who might know something that could benefit Clan Italy. It seemed, however, that Francis truly was done speaking. He waved Feliciano away with a wink, and the Italian began his unsteady descent. Hopefully Ludwig was doing alright, was he still being double teamed?

xoxoxoxoxoxox

It seemed an impossible situation, fighting these two men at the same time. Panting and pushed to the peaks of his physical limits, Ludwig knew that fighting either man one on one would be no easy feat. Despite the absurdity of attacking with what seemed to be cookware, the Chinese Representative moved with a deadly grace and form, one that hid more power than most would ever expect from his form. He was quick and light yet delivered punishing hits with the wok. The Russian Representative was much more straight forward in his attack, yet the sheer power and unrestrained intent to harm behind every swing of that rusting pipe made him a deadly and crushing foe.

The last time he'd engaged both of these men he'd had his rifle, the odds had been more balanced. Try as he might, even with all of Ludwig's combat training and tactical skill, fighting both of these men at once was an exercise in futility. It would only lead to defeat, a defeat he couldn't afford. Wouldn't allow. He was doing everything he could, using the terrain to every advantage possible, maneuvering so that his opponents might get in each other's way, seeking to conserve strength through solid defense and well timed counter-attacks. It wasn't enough though, no victory here. He needed to pull a tactical retreat, but he'd been beaten back to a position where he could no longer clearly see everything that was going on.

Imagine his shock, faced with these dire circumstances, when a blond American suddenly came rushing forward. Ludwig's first thought was pessimistic. It was over. Yet when the American charged the Russian, tackling into the man even as a pipe came up to block him, Ludwig was momentarily stunned.

"Alfred? What are you doing, aru!" As was his other opponent. As much as the German Representative wanted to take a moment to breathe and rest, to observe this sudden infighting, he knew he couldn't pass up this chance. Quickly he lunged at his dark haired opponent, almost growling when the man reacted in time to defend. Metal crashed against metal. Cookware versus discarded metal picked up and made a weapon. Ludwig ground his teeth, pushing back. He was the stronger man here physically, and no matter how much skill the Chinese man had, the German was certain he had just as much.

They pushed apart, each taking a few wary steps away from each other. His enemy was more cautious now, without his partner to watch his back and fill in the gaps in his attack. He seemed to flex the fingers he gripped his weapon with, casting a swift look over his shoulder. Whether he was checking on that panda in the basket he wore or looking to see how the Russian was doing was unclear, but Ludwig supposed it didn't matter. He used this opportunity to observe the fight briefly.

Why had the American turned on them? His brows pulled together, wondering. Was this the Canadian? No... he was, well quite frankly Ludwig had lost track of that Representative. But Ludwig remembered what he'd seen of the American fighting, and this looked to be the real deal. So... had this all been some sort of plan after all? Was this part of the root of his misgivings when dealing with Matthew?

"It looks like the situation has changed, aru." Ludwig tore his eyes back to his opponent, noting the way the man was looking past Ludwig. Behind him. It _could_ have been a trap, but the Chinese Representative's stance was not one he could swiftly attack out of. So, Ludwig looked, relief washing over him as Kiku and Feliciano moved to come to his side. They'd done it... they were all together again. Ludwig felt a surge of pride at their alliance.

The Chinese Representative began to back away slowly, meaning to retreat. Ludwig knew he should stop the man. To ensure their victory it was only logical to keep any of these men from escaping. They needed to prevent them from continuing The Journey... by any means possible.

However, fighting the two men had exhausted the German, and he couldn't find the strength to go after Yao no matter how disciplined he was. The fact that Kiku, who he trusted to understand the situation as well as he, wasn't moving to attack the other man made the German man curious. He met his ally's eye, and Kiku's lips tightened slightly.

"Perhaps today this encounter should be called a draw." The blond could tell there was more to that statement, more underneath it, but the Japanese man was keeping it reserved. There _were_ quite a few variables that hadn't been planned for.

The Chinese Representative took this as a sign to go, giving a short bow before hurrying to his Russian ally's side. It took them a bit to disengage from the American, who looked lost and angry and conflicted as he stood there with nothing to do now. Ludwig ran a hand over his face for a moment, mind fighting fatigue as he tried to sort out what to do now. He needed to get back to business, back in control of the situation. "The English and French Representatives..."

Before he could finish his question, Matthew's soft voice broke in. "They're gone." The German turned, raising a brow at the blond, but the Canadian didn't spare him a glance. He merely walked off to speak with the American. It seemed as if the two were arguing. _'What is to be done about those two?'_ He sighed, wanting to pinch at the bridge of his nose. Their trap had been a success, yet he felt uneasy about the manner in which it'd ended. Just as he was about to turn to speak to his allies, he was all but tackled by Feliciano hugging him.

"You're safe!" The auburn haired young man cried out, nuzzling against him and making Ludwig's cheeks heat up.

"Y-Yes, of course I am. You can let go of me now Feliciano..." The grip wasn't lessening, and the German flicked his eyes to Kiku. The Japanese man seemed fixated on the American and Canadian. "Look, we came to rescue Kiku, right? Have you... have you given him a hug yet?"

Feliciano looked up sharply, and Kiku sent a sharp look Ludwig's way as well. He... it wasn't that he wanted to saddle Kiku with Feliciano, but he was tired and he'd like to be able to breathe again. Feliciano's hug wasn't making that easy. The Italian began to release him, making those soft nonsensical sounds of his, but didn't immediately rush over to hug the Japanese Representative. Perhaps it had something to do with that sword of his. Clearing his throat at the sudden awkwardness between the three of them, the German got down to business.

"You're probably wondering about Matthew," he said to Kiku, quietly. The Japanese man returned his gaze to where the two blonds still appeared to be arguing a bit, nodding. "Truthfully, I do not trust him completely. However, he assisted Feliciano, assisted in my rescue, and provided us valuable information in order to assist in rescuing you."

He let his blue eyes follow Kiku's stare, ignoring Feliciano for the moment since the Italian was keeping quiet. "And apparently, he has had a hand in recruiting the American Representative?" Had that been part of the Canadian's plan all along? Why they didn't need to worry about the American or the Russian?

"Apparently, they are brothers." Kiku supplied simply, though his voice carried that such a fact didn't necessarily mean anything. Considering Ludwig's relationship with his own brother, he knew that blood and duty didn't always walk the same path.

"Ve~... they... seem... alright. Scary though... but nice... right? Matthew at least...?" Feliciano crept closer to Ludwig's side, almost like a small animal seeking body heat. Ludwig shook his head, letting out a sigh through his nose.

"We don't know that. Yet." Keeping a wary eye on the two blonds, Ludwig moved to examine their area. It was best to make certain their enemies really had left the area, and to confirm that the English Representative really wasn't still trapped in that hole they'd dug. Quietly the three set about, securing the perimeter, deciding that perhaps this was a good place to set up camp for the night. To regroup and exchange information. Now that they were all together again, it was important to pool their knowledge. Preferably before the two blonds came over. Their arguing seemed to be cooling down, so the trio would need to be quick with their words. Perhaps Ludwig would explain Feliciano's story, just for brevity's sake.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

It was late, their small campfire already going by the time the twins came over. They approached slowly, the American actually holding his hands up as if to show he was no threat. He wasn't smiling though, looking more like a little boy being forced to apologize for being bad by his mother. It didn't ease the tension thick in the air around them, but it was at least better than having the blond pretend to be happy when he wasn't. Kiku had spent some time, watching the perpetual cheer of the American during his capture. Though Kiku wasn't the most openly expressive of men, prided himself on that some times, it was nice to see a bit of range in the blond.

"Heeeeey..." Alfred began, stopping a short distance away, voice sounding tired and a little embarrassed. "I uh... guess I should... just let ya know that... I'm not gonna start any trouble for you guys right now or anything..." Trailing off awkwardly, Alfred seemed to be searching for the right words to say to a former enemy to smooth things over. He scratched at the back of his neck, gaining no support in this from his brother at his side. Kiku couldn't help but note how difficult it was to even see the Canadian.

"Right now?" He asked softly, not thinking the American was the sort to be tricky with his words, but seeking clarification all the same. Alfred seemed a bit more comfortable having Kiku to focus on, a familiar face even if it was only familiar thanks to kidnapping. The blond's eyebrows rose high, his mind working over what the dark haired man was trying to imply.

"That's what we'd like to talk about," Matthew answered instead, and with an inquiring nod to Feliciano, came closer to sit at the camp fire. Of course the Italian had welcomed him closer, and he was even bustling about, portioning out some small rations for both blonds. Perhaps it wasn't the wisest of moves, but Kiku had to agree with the Italian's courtesy. Alfred followed and sat down as well, though he looked a bit uncertain yet.

"You intend to end your temporary alliance with us," Ludwig stated frankly, tone neither upset nor curious. It was as if the German had come to the conclusion that this was an inevitable fact, and was already working to understand how that would affect the future. Matthew nodded his head.

"Yes. Alfred and I _could_ join you... five is an acceptable number for _The Journey_... but that was never my intent." The German and Canadian locked eyes, and with a shy little smile Matthew shrugged. From what Ludwig and Feliciano had told him, Matthew was far more than a meek young man. Kiku could see it, sense and craft and strength, and it was disconcerting to see it masked with such an unassuming demeanor. For all Alfred was obviously dangerous, Matthew seemed like a quiet menace waiting in the shadows. If he hid in Alfred's, he no doubt be that much harder to deal with, of that Kiku was certain.

"I was only looking for my brother, you see. Working with you seemed the best solution for everyone."

Feliciano leaned forward, gaze darting between the two blonds, eyes blinking a bit before they settled into that almost closed squint of his. "Ve... but... how are you two brothers? You... represent different Clans... right?"

"Easy," Alfred chimed in, looking a bit more relaxed now that it seemed he wasn't going to be tied up or treated like a hostile enemy. He'd even begun eating, which he didn't seem to stop while continuing to speak. "Our dad is from Clan Canada, our mom Clan America. They met topside, ya know, outside their Sanctuaries."

"But... but that's not safe!" Feliciano exclaimed, the perfect participating audience. "Why were they up there?"

"I dunno..." Alfred responded carelessly, and Kiku could see the lie so clearly it was almost painful. He wondered if it would have been any better if Matthew was their storyteller. _'Ah, but he'd no doubt conceal the truth I think.' _At least the lie might have been more skillful._  
_

"But, they were up there, and they met, and that's how they had us!" Alfred seemed to perk up, apparently proud of this. "Mattie and I are probably the first surface born kids in centuries!"

"Don't exaggerate Al... I'm sure there are some from Clan Hungary or Austria..." The Canadian's quiet comment almost went unnoticed, but his brother's sudden roll of the eyes wasn't lost on anyway.

"Fiiiiine, we're the first cross-Clan kids..."

"Again Al..."

"... who grew up to become Clan Representatives!" Alfred finished in a triumphant rush. He shot a smirk to his brother, who only sighed and snuggled down into that bear doll of his. Yes, Alfred seemed to be perking right up, it seemed. He was oddly adaptable, in a simplistic sort of way. It reminded Kiku slightly of Feliciano. "So yeah! Born topside, but eventually the Clans like... came up and found us all, and they had a long talk with mom and dad. Things... well... things happened, and our families ended up split up. But, not before me and Matt here made a promise!"

There was something in his eye when he talked about this, something the reflection of the firelight couldn't quite conceal behind the lens of his half cracked glasses. Something terrible had happened, during or around this 'talk'. Something that had deeply affected these brothers, whose effect lingered in both no matter what conditioning they'd received over the years.

Alfred licked his lips, shooting a look to his brother. That look was all it took to know that Kiku and his allies weren't going to get to hear this promise. Instead, Alfred started to pout a little. "But, still... I don't like how this happened, bro. You totally made a traitor outta me! I mean yeah, we made our promise first... but Clan America agreed to ally with them..." He deflated, doubly so when he noticed all his food was gone. "Some crappy hero I am."

The Canadian reached out to give his brother's arm a sympathetic pat.

"So... what do you plan to do now, then?" Ludwig's face was closed off, stern yet mostly thoughtful.

"Oh, uh," Alfred scratched at his head. "Yeah Mattie, what next? Oh wait, I have a plan-"

"Next I thought," Matthew started, as if it was simply best not to let his twin get carried away here. "That we could all travel until we reached the Austro-Hungarian settlement..."

"Settlement...?" Feliciano asked, quiet and curious. "I've never heard about settlements..."

Matthew smiled at him. "Most haven't... and... there aren't many. But I've been up on the surface more than a lot of people... and I know the way. You'll be able to resupply and perhaps acquire new weapons there. After that... I think my brother and I will leave on our own. If... this sounds alright?"

It was... a very tempting and attractive plan, and if they really could replenish resources and arms, then it was certainly foolish to pass it up. It could also be a trap as well, for this was some place Kiku and his Clan had no information on. If the stony look on Ludwig's face was any indicator, he was having a similar debate in his mind. Even Feliciano looked thoughtful, though Kiku wasn't quite as certain it was for the same reasons.

"We'll discuss it tonight, and give you an answer in the morning," Ludwig answered for the three of them, and Kiku nodded solemnly, pleased with the decision. The blonds took the response well enough, and shortly thereafter, the brothers excused themselves. They would sleep just a small ways away, offering the trio the privacy they needed to make their choice.

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**A/N:**

This chapter, I didn't enjoy writing it. But, it's up and posted and hopefully I'll enjoy the next much more. Regardless of _my_ feelings about this chapter, I hope you enjoyed the read.**  
**


	14. Chapter 14

It was a long discussion, but in the end it was decided that they would take up the Canadian Clansman on his offer to lead them to the Austro-Hungarian settlement. The dangers of this being a trap were high, and Ludwig had been certain to tell Feliciano over and over to be wary and on guard at all times. However... the prospect of resupplying and obtaining firearms was too great to simply pass up out of paranoia or too much caution. The trip would also only slightly alter their path for The Journey... so it was a risk worth taking. Feliciano was happy. It quite frankly depressed him sometimes, being up here on the surface. There was so much fighting between Clans, and while even he knew all Clans couldn't always get along... it just seemed like dire circumstances _should_ bring them all together, shouldn't they?

There was another reason Feliciano was happy to be traveling with the Canadian and the American though. It was really nice, he decided, seeing brothers reunited. It hurt in a way as well, his own reunion with Lovino having been cut short, leaving him fretting over his brother's safety. Perhaps in some way, watching Matthew and Alfred gave Feliciano hope that he'd get to spend time with his own brother again. Matthew had worked very hard, and he'd managed to reach Alfred. Yes, Feliciano could and would do the same. He'd keep trying to think of a way to help Lovino _and_ succeed at The Journey.

But it was cute, watching the way the two fraternal twins acted around each other. Alfred was so loud, and it almost seemed like he was constantly trying to impress his brother with the wild tales or weird plans he'd rattle off. Matthew didn't say too much (and well, with as much as the American could talk it was sort of clear why), but he seemed happy and content, even if more often than not he had to veto a scheme of his brother's. It really was funny to watch, their play fighting, the tiny not-quite-arguments. For a pair that probably hadn't seen each other in so long, it was as if they were trying to make up for lost time and reconnect.

Feliciano cast a glance over at Ludwig, lips turning down into a little pout as he walked along side the man. The Italian knew the man was troubled by his own reunion with his brother, knew that the intent look of concentration on his face wasn't because the terrain they were crossing was especially uneven. The German Representative was very good at crossing over the most tangled and jagged terrain, had managed his footing perfectly while assisting Feliciano a couple of times. So that was obviously _not_ what made him stare ahead with such focus. Ludwig hadn't said anything in too much depth about his reunion with his brother... with the leader of that group of Clanless. _'No... they're calling themselves Clan Prussia he said...'_ What he had said however... had made it clear that he thought, in time, they might be forced to meet as enemies.

Feliciano sighed, hanging his head and kicking lightly at a small dislodged chunk of concrete. He looked over towards Matthew and Alfred and again thought about Lovino. Brothers really shouldn't be forced to fight against each other. It made him... resent The Journey just a little. _'Didn't Lovi try to say I wasn't supposed to continue The Journey...?'_ Why would he want to stop Feliciano, he couldn't be _that_ mad at the clan for splitting them up. Feliciano reached up and tugged his goggles down over his eyes, as if his squint just wasn't enough to block out the negative things that were all over. Ludwig noticed the movement, blues eyes straying down towards his companion, a mild look of concern on his face. Feliciano just smiled away, waving his hand as if to indicate everything was ok.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

The trip to the settlement was going to take nearly a week to complete, give or take weather conditions, and after four days Feliciano had found himself talking with the American quite a bit. Mostly it was because Alfred was probably the only one in the group who seemed to like to talk as much as Feliciano did, and the blond also seemed to prefer being cheery and simple to complicated and quiet. Often Matthew would walk close to them, listening and sometimes quietly adding to the conversations, but mostly he seemed content to be a silent participant. Feliciano wasn't avoiding Kiku and Ludwig at all, but for the past few days Ludwig had become more and more consumed by whatever he was thinking, and Kiku had taken to scouting ahead quite often. The Italian wasn't giving up on cheering Ludwig up, no way, no how, _never_. But... how could he cheer Ludwig up if his own spirits faltered?

Alfred really helped with that. Despite how scary he could occasionally be... that weird look he'd get sometimes making Feliciano want to hide behind Ludwig every time, he seemed more like a goofy teen than anything else. As it was Feliciano was shocked when he learned Alfred really _was_ just a teen, younger than he was. Having someone cheerful and chatty today was especially welcome, as the sky had turned a frightening shade of green-grey, clouds rolling in and releasing heavy torrents of rain almost thick enough to seem like mud. There was no lightning or thunder, but it was still a good thing Alfred had such a strong voice.

"Grey skin, I'm not kidding! He came down in a ship and his name is Tony. Or maybe I named him that... but that's not the point!" Feliciano smiled, confused and bewildered by Alfred's latest tale, shivering beneath his rain poncho. "He's like, this tall..." The American held his hand out waist high, looking between his brother and Feliciano eagerly, apparently clueless to the thick squelching mud puddle he stomped through. "Seriously! He's from space! I asked him if he could bring back space food and stuff for everyone, and he told me he'd ask his people and get back to me!"

"Ve~" Even Feliciano was feeling a bit doubtful about this one. "I don't know... little grey people from space...?" He looked up at the sky, his goggles extremely useful right now, even if occasionally the thick rain needed to be swiped off.

"Yeah! Aliens are _real_, I swear!" Alfred certainly seemed like he believed what he was saying. At his side Matthew shook his head, rain plastered hair sticking to his face in a manner Feliciano thought _had_ to be uncomfortable. It seemed the hood of his own rain coat couldn't stop the moisture from attacking when the wind cut in at sharp angles. Everyone, honestly, was getting soaked. The Italian was hoping they'd find some place to wait out the storm, truth be told. But Ludwig wasn't stopping, and no shelter really seemed to be coming up any time soon.

"Seeing things that aren't there... I'd blame Clan England if you weren't claiming this happened before you were taken back to Clan America." Matthew smiled faintly, though Feliciano thought he saw that look again. He'd been a little slow to pick up on it, but Kiku had mentioned it a couple times, whenever the trio would get together to talk without the brothers. Now that he was looking for it consciously, Feliciano could see it as well. Any time Matthew talked about Clan England he got a bit... upset.

"Ve, Matthew... do you not like Clan England?" Feliciano didn't really mean to say it out loud, yet at the same time why not just ask. Right? The Canadian paused, hands clutching at his plastic covered bear (the Italian thought it was adorable how the Canadian tried to protect it from the rain) in reflex as he stared at Feliciano. Alfred's earlier enthusiasm seemed to wane a bit before he laughed, waving his hand in the air and sending water droplets flying about. Everyone was wet, what was the harm in a little more wetness?

"Hahaha, Mattie's Clan was good friends with Clan France, I think it's like some sort of requirement that he has to hate Clan England too." Matthew kept silent as if he could fade into the rain, and Feliciano found his eyes wanting to wander to Alfred, to focus on him instead. If they hadn't been talking about the Canadian, Feliciano might have forgotten the disappearing man completely.

"Really? But aren't Clan France and Clan England allies right now? I mean... well, I suppose the French Representative did say it was more like they were keeping tabs on each other..." Feliciano trailed off, his eyes scanning around Alfred, trying to find... something. Wasn't someone there just now?

"Ya don't have to get along to be in an alliance with someone," Alfred rambled on, stuffing his hands in his pockets and looking up at the sky as if they were out for a casual stroll on a sunny day. "I mean, do you get along perfectly with your allies?"

Feliciano's face lit up, a bounce hitting his step. In fact, he spotted a shallow puddle and hopped into it once, just for fun. "Ve! We get along really really well! I mean at first Ludwig was really scary, but he's actually really really nice and kind of sweet! And Kiku is quiet but he's always coming up with good ideas and trying to look out for us all. I'm really happy they're my allies!"

Alfred gave him a mildly curious look before staring up at the sky again, rain pattering off his glasses. He shrugged his shoulders. "Oh... well, that's really cool. But, it wasn't like that with those other guys. I... I don't think any of us really liked each other much. Well, I mean I liked Artie but..." There was a twitch in his jaw, but the American stopped talking. When he remained silent Feliciano sagged just a bit. He'd said something wrong again, hadn't he? He debated offering an apology, though for what he wasn't too certain, when he noticed Kiku was moving back towards their group. Ludwig held up his hand, calling everyone to stop walking. Feliciano bounded (well, slipped and stumbled, but it was supposed to be bounding) over instead, curious about what made Kiku come back from scouting.

"... about five or six of them. It is possible the rain has obscured our scent, or kept it from the wind, but they are coming this way." Feliciano... did not like that statement. He... hoped Kiku wasn't saying what he thought he was.

Ludwig squinted his eyes, looking at the terrain around them. On the whole it was mostly wide open, no places to hide, nothing to climb to for safety or higher ground. They were moving over the remains of a highway, a few spare car parts rusting away over cracked pavement. No good cover for... whatever Kiku had spotted approaching. No real good footing for a fight either. Feliciano watched as Ludwig stared at the metal length he'd kept as a weapon since their rescue of Kiku, and he guessed the German was wishing for his gun again.

"Five or six," the German muttered slowly and Kiku nodded. "What did you say they looked like?"

"I believe they are related to dogs, perhaps a mutated strain that has adapted to surface life. They seemed bigger, thick of hide. I do not believe we have much time until-"

A baying howl summed up Kiku's words for him, six dark shapes vaguely coming into view through the rain veiled horizon. Distorted as they were by the thick falling drops, they looked like shadowy demons rather than animals. Feliciano sucked in a breath, shivering and hunching down into his poncho as if it were armor. They'd been lucky not to see much since that first creature and those horrible giant rats. Why did their luck have to run out now?

Ludwig looked grim, shaking his head slowly. "We will have to take a stand..." The Japanese representative nodded, unsheathing his blade. He held it out and away from his body, his own thick rain poncho no doubt impeding his sword stance. Feliciano took a few steps back. He was unarmed, the best he could do was stay out of the way, right?

"Hey, what's up guys? Trouble?" Alfred and Matthew, both momentarily forgotten, strolled forward. It was almost comical the way they each reached up to adjust their glasses, staring into the distance at the creatures in sync. Matthew said nothing, while Alfred managed to let out a low whistle that still sounded above the pouring rain. Seriously, was it possible for him to make any quiet sounds. "Wow... what in the world are those?"

"Maybe they're ghosts, Al," Matthew said, a sly smile poorly hidden on his face. Alfred suddenly went quite rigid, looking between the shapes and his brother, horrified.

"S-Shut up Mattie! They aren't ghosts! Sheesh, why would you even say that?" He looked quite upset, even if Matthew seemed unrepentant.

"I can't believe you're still scared of-"

"Now is not the time for this," Ludwig cut their childish antics off, making Feliciano feel somewhat ashamed that he'd enjoyed the little bit of teasing. His German ally looked between the twins, and the Italian knew that he was probably calculating how much help they'd be. "Will you be able to assist us?"

Alfred squinted and peered out at the approaching forms again before nodding, smiling and tossing a 'thumb's up'. "Yeah sure, a few dogs? No problemo dude!"

"I think... I'll stay back with Feliciano," came the disembodied voice of Matthew. Feliciano spun where he stood, unable to spot the now invisible Canadian. "Just in case."

In case of what the Italian didn't know, but he did feel a little safer. Not as safe as he felt when Ludwig protected him... but safer than being alone.

Looking confident and strangely happy at this turn of events, Alfred started to stride forward as if to meet the dog creatures head on. Ludwig and Kiku exchanged glances, much less enthusiastic about rushing into poor battle conditions. "Hey, who wants to bet I take the most of em down?" The American really _did_ look like he was about to run off and have the time of his life. Kiku stalked forward a bit, flicking his dark eyes at the youthful blond.

"This is not a competition Alfred-san..." He'd said it reproachfully, and yet Feliciano almost thought Kiku looked a bit... competitive? It must have been the rain playing tricks on things. The American just laughed, winking.

"That's what losers say!" Cracking his knuckles once, the teen let out a whooping yell and rushed forward. His charge excited the dogs, and with snarling barks they broke into a hungry run. The three allies (and possibly Matthew, it was impossible to tell with the Canadian invisible and all) exchanged glances. It really didn't need to be said, or reiterated, but they all couldn't stop the thought. Alfred was crazy.

"Be safe," Feliciano urged them, and his allies nodded before moving with caution towards the sight of Alfred punching and wrestling with dogs almost as big as he was.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

"There it is..." Matthew said, pointing with a gloved hand at the patchwork wall that stretched out before them. Feliciano pushed his goggles up, the rain having stopped yesterday, leaving them with muggy weather yet mostly clear skies. Truthfully, it was pretty hot and gross, and if not for the clouds of gnats and mosquito type bugs swarming around them, the Italian might have been tempted to strip down a bit. But, he didn't really want a bunch of bug bites. What he wanted was a nice bath, a siesta, and oh! Some pasta. Pasta would be _so_ good right now.

The wall around the settlement looked more like a pile of garbage than it did any sort of defense, but he supposed that in times like this you had to make do with what you had. From sheets of metal to broken furniture to stones and dead trees from the surrounding area, the wall looked like something built with great haste and constantly reinforced out of necessity. It obstructed the view of whatever was inside, though Matthew assured Feliciano it was actually rather nice on the other side. The only problem was getting them all in.

"They do have armed sentries... and I'm sure we've been spotted already. We should wait here until they send someone up to the watch post over the gate." Ludwig nodded at Matthew's words, eyes moving about systematically, watching for an ambush. Kiku let his hand linger near the hilt of his sword, but wouldn't draw it yet.

"Well, I hope they come soon. I'm getting really sick of carrying these things!" At the back of their group, Alfred let out a huff. Carried over his back were three of the dog creatures, bodies preserved as well as the group had been able to. Matthew had mentioned they'd want to have something to barter, and while the dog meat would make for poor food, the hides would be valuable. Possibly the bones as well. It was obvious the American wasn't struggling under the weight of the things, even if it looked ridiculous having them piled on him. His cargo was larger than he was! But the flies the carcasses attracted were probably really annoying. Feliciano didn't mind not having super strength if it got him out of that sort of task.

They didn't have to wait _too_ long before a woman in survival gear climbed up to the gate tower, long brown hair held back by a kerchief, a frying pan of all things held in her hands in a rather threatening manner. She stared down at the group for a long while, sizing them up, looking beyond them to see if there were any dangers lurking out in the distance. The Italian almost thought it took her longer to be satisfied they were safe to talk to than they'd waited for her to show up.

"State your business," she called out at last, a bold voice unafraid of these strangers. Ludwig cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"We come to rest and resupply for The Journey. We would be grateful for your hospitality." The woman cocked her head to the side, appraising them further.

"Any weapons on you?" Ludwig and Kiku shared a glance before presenting what they carried, Ludwig's makeshift one and Kiku's very deadly sword. The woman nodded slowly before turning as if she'd be going down. "Some men will come down and escort you in. For your sake, you'd better not have lied." With that she disappeared from sight, and the doors of the gate began to groan and squeak open. Four armed men came out, cautious and ready. The group simply followed, for they truly had no intention of doing anyone any harm.

The interior of the settlement really was much nicer than the exterior wall would have let on. Oh the ground was mostly dirt and concrete, made muddy from the recent rain, but you could see where the attempt at nice stone paths had been made. Small simple buildings were clustered in rows, and Feliciano's eyes widened in a bit of wonder when he thought he spied what looked like gardens, maybe even crops? People moved and milled about, curious about the newcomers but going about their day.

It was... it was like they'd always said it used to be. People living on the surface, growing things! Feliciano's heart raced and he almost rushed off to get a closer look at the bright plants... flowers right? Not silk artificial ones, not drawings or paintings or photos of them, but real blooming flowers! Clan Italy hadn't really had a functioning greenhouse in the Sanctuary (and their meager version of one had been off limits to Feliciano), and while some other Clans did the prospect of seeing these vibrant plants was pretty exciting. But Ludwig caught his arm, shaking his head slowly. "Later Feliciano, be still for now."

The Italian wilted, though mostly he was embarrassed he'd nearly acted so foolishly. He'd like to think he'd matured a bit since the start of their Journey. The brown haired woman was nowhere in sight, but the guards seemed to know exactly where he was taking them all. There was a larger building than most of the others they'd passed so far, situated right next to a door the Italian would have been able to recognize anywhere. It was a Clan Sanctuary door, though rather than being sealed shut both sets of doors were wide open, almost welcoming. In fact, people went in and out, as if it was nothing strange.

The guards ushered them to the other building, which they stated was where they'd be staying. Matthew quickly ducked over to the lead guard, telling them that two rooms would be necessary. The guard nodded and set to arranging things, and the brothers slowed to a stop, the trio doing the same. "Well... this is where we part ways," Matthew began, offering everyone a smile. "I'll talk to the guards, tell them two of the 'dogs' should be treated as yours for bartering."

Kiku gave a small bow. "Thank you, Matthew-san. And Alfred-san, thank you for carrying them."

"Sure thing," Alfred said, distracted as he watched for a sign of where to take and unload the dead things. Feliciano bit his lip, a small pit of anxiety forming in his stomach. It was really too bad that they all weren't going to be traveling together anymore. He stepped forward and gave Matthew a hug, deciding just to give Alfred a happy pat on the head rather than hug someone holding corpses. Ludwig stepped up to the Canadian, locking eyes with the other before holding out his hand.

"Safe travels to you and Alfred," the German said, voice formal yet sincere. The Canadian nodded, clasping hands with Ludwig.

"Good luck to all of you, too. I..." He trailed off, looking down for a moment before shaking his head. "I hope things end as you want them to."

Feliciano blinked at that, and blinked in even more confusion when he took in the looks on his allies' faces. More and more he was getting the feeling that he didn't know something he really should. He'd... have to ask Ludwig and Kiku about that. Absolutely. Now that they were all together, and probably safe here... perhaps tonight would be a good night to do just that.

* * *

**A/N:**

Wait, what? A new chapter in, just under a week? You know the drill readers, enjoy this while it lasts. ;D

I've been neglecting the ambient surface creatures, and that silly thing called weather, but not this chapter!

Alas, though, say goodbye to the North American bros for a while. Their part in the story is done for now. However, say hello to Austria and Hungary!

Reviewers, thank you a hundred times over. It's good to know people are enjoying this story, and your comments usually make me smile (and occasionally laugh)!


	15. Chapter 15

It was a modest room the three were offered, but quite honestly after all of those nights camping out it felt downright decadent. Simple wooden flooring supported their feet rather than rock or stone or dirt or rubble. A sturdy table was set in the corner, a mixture of wooden chairs and more modern composite constructs surrounding it. The beds were all wood, very simple, but they had an obvious hand-carved look about them that had Ludwig running his hand over them with clear appreciation. It wasn't the finest wood, because even Feliciano had seen the state of the trees in most places. However, whoever had made these beds obviously knew their trade, and knew it well. The beds looked sturdy, looked fully capable of lasting out many visitors no matter what.

Feliciano couldn't think of anything he wanted to do more right now than dive onto the bed and have a siesta. He would have, too, if he hadn't suddenly felt a very light touch on his arm, coupled with a polite clearing of his throat. Looking over his shoulder, the auburn haired youth offered his ally a confused look. Kiku smiled faintly, despite the reproachfulness in his eyes. "Ah, Feliciano-kun, perhaps we should wash up before we use the beds?"

Feliciano blinked, casting one more longing glance at the bed, before he nodded with vigor. "Ok!" A siesta would be great, but getting cleaned up sounded just as good actually. He couldn't remember what his skin felt like under all the dirt and grime, and even his face was feeling a bit rough. None of them were sporting beards now, but a careful close shave wasn't really a priority for any of them. At least in their stay here, Feliciano thought he might get to look good again. Maybe a haircut too...

"I'll go inquire about-" Ludwig was cut off from his offer to find out about bathing facilities by a knocking on the door. For half a moment Feliciano wondered if it would be Matthew or Alfred, come to say they'd changed their minds about traveling together. However, the knock sounded too loud to come from the Canadian and _much_ too quiet to come from the American. "Yes?" Ludwig called out, and the door was opened by one of the guards that'd initially escorted them to the room. The man looked them over before taking a step back.

"I've come to take you to the shower facilities, if you're sufficiently settled. Our Representatives would like to meet with you after..." The man had an expectant look in his eyes, and it seemed pretty clear that it was preferred the trio follow him now if possible. Ludwig nodded his head, and Feliciano watched Kiku bow and offer a soft 'thank you very much'. The Italian simply grinned and raised his hand.

"Lead the way!"

xoxoxoxoxoxox

"Veeee~ This feels soooo gooood..." In the hot spray of water, steam surrounding him and heat relaxing his muscles, Feliciano wanted to melt. If there was any way to remain in the spray of water while also turning into a boneless mass of happiness, he certainly would have done so right then and there. Seriously, this was heaven. Pure heaven. The dirt of the surface was shedding off of him, the water that ran off his skin now mostly clear instead of brown. It was great not to smell like the outdoors, the simple soap provided not terribly fragrant but very clean smelling. Feliciano leaned back against the tiles of the shower stall he was in and let out a happy little sigh. He felt human again. Even with the new scars he'd managed to earn, he felt more like himself.

The bathing facility was located in what was the Sanctuary itself, rather than the surface settlement. The guard had explained that while simple baths could be had topside in some of the built residences, that for actual heated plumbing one needed to go into the Sanctuary halls. They were apparently working on expanding their plumbing systems, but gaining the materials needed for the piping was difficult at best. Still, it was rather impressive that they were doing so much, and Feliciano wondered if these Clans even needed to go on the Journey if they could do so well right now.

"Ve, isn't it great Ludwig? Kiku?" He called out brightly to his allies, sure they must be able to hear him. It wasn't a private bathroom he'd been taken to, but a communal set of shower stalls. He could hear the water running from where his allies were bathing, and yet he didn't get any answers. Looking down at himself and deciding he was as clean as he could get, he turned off his spray and went bounding out to find out just why his friends weren't talking to him. The first stall he got to was Kiku's, and without any warning he shoved aside the curtain and hopped in.

"Kiku! Isn't this great?" His Asian ally gave a tiny jolt, startled no doubt then suddenly extremely flustered. Possibly, Kiku may have recovered from the sudden surprise, if Feliciano _hadn't_ taken his appearance one step further by hugging onto the man. However, the sudden assault by a naked Italian left the poor Japanese Representative utterly scandalized, and he pushed at Feliciano in urgent embarrassment.

"F-F-Feliciano-kun!" Kiku stuttered out, wet limbs slipping as he shoved at the Italian. Feliciano wasn't exactly sure what was wrong, but released him and took a step back. Kiku was truly red in the face, fuming. "What do you think you're doing?"

Cocking his head to the side, the Italian shrugged. "I came to see if you were enjoying the shower! You didn't answer so..."

Kiku took a deep breath, standing as tall as he could. He shook his head. "I am sorry I did not respond, but it is not appropriate to hug me in this situation!" Feliciano deflated a bit, belatedly remembering that the Japanese Representative wasn't very open to physical contact like that. Such obvious displays of affection always seemed to upset the other man, and somehow it seemed like he was upset even more so by this hug now. _'Ve... I didn't mean to make him uncomfortable...'_ It'd just been a friendly hug, after all.

"What's going on?" Ludwig came out from his shower stall, water turned off and a towel hastily drawn around his hips. The Italian immediately moved to his side, wrapping his arms around the German and missing the red tint that hit his cheeks.

"I made Kiku angry by hugging him," Feliciano lamented sadly, staring up into Ludwig's blues. "Ve, you don't mind, right Ludwig? You like hugs, don't you?"

"Erm... Feliciano..." The German faltered, body stiff and unmoving (but, Feliciano knew Ludwig was always pretty tense).

Kiku sighed, having turned off his water and wrapping a towel about his own waist. "Feliciano, it is not that I... your hugs are..." Feliciano's eyebrows slowly moved up on his forehead, marveling at the sight of Kiku struggling so much over his words. "I do not find it unpleasant when you give hugs... however... I would request you not do so here... while bathing. It is... not the place for such things." There was _so_ much more Kiku could have said, but he stopped there, not of the mind to get into the details of what was and was not acceptable in any given situation.

The Italian frowned, arms still around Ludwig (who was still tense and not making any moves). "Ve... but... it was just a hug... I wasn't trying to-"

"I understand!" The Japanese representative said rather quickly, face still bright red, hands tense. He shook his head after clearing his throat. "I understand, however, perhaps you may honor my request in this?"

Ludwig finally moved, enough to give Feliciano a little nudge and a look that seemed to side with Kiku. The Italian nodded his head, confused perhaps but not really upset. This was just another of Kiku's quirks, Feliciano could deal with it. Sometimes his allies really were silly over the strangest of things. "Ok! I'll only hug Kiku outside of bath times then, ok?"

The Japanese man seemed to relax a bit, nodding his head with a smile that almost seemed amused. "Very well, though Feliciano-kun, perhaps you would like a towel now...?"

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Cleaned and in simple clothes provided for them after their showers (they'd been told all of their laundry would be done for them, which Feliciano thought was _really_ nice), the trio was led directly from the showers down clean metal halls. There were portraits on the walls the deeper they got, and the Italian would have absolutely _loved_ to have a moment to stop and really appreciate them. Now wasn't the time though, for the guard was walking briskly, and while the Sanctuary layout seemed similar to the Italian one, Feliciano didn't want to dawdle and get lost.

They'd been walking for a short while, passing up various rooms and people as they went when the sound of piano music started to drift through the halls. This drew the Italian's attention away from the wall paintings for a moment, ears perked up and suddenly rather hungry to hear more of the music. Perhaps it was due to being starved for something so simple, but the closer they all walked the more beautiful the playing seemed to be. Whoever was at the piano (and Feliciano was so certain this was live playing, and not a recording), was seriously talented. They played with such skill and passion that the Italian thought it'd be very nice to sit and listen to it all day.

"In here, please," said the guard, who came to stand on one side of the doorway, body posed at attention. The trio offered nods as they passed him by, entering into a room that looked rather grand and ornate. Everything about the room seemed to revolve around a gorgeous piano. Seated at the instrument and still playing was a very refined looking man, brown hair with glasses and a distinctive mole on his face, and beside him stood the woman from the guard tower. She looked much more relaxed and friendlier down here than she had at the gate, but something in her eyes warned that she wouldn't tolerate any trouble.

There were three chairs set up near the piano, which the trio took their seats in. Perhaps some might have been annoyed that the music playing didn't stop right away, but it sounded so nice Feliciano at least didn't care. In a small way, Feliciano almost felt like the man was welcoming him with the piano, if that made any sense. In fact, it was a bit sad when the fingers stilled over the keys, and silence filled the room.

With perfect posture the man turned on the piano bench to look at them properly, face looking rather composed, much different from the warmth that'd been in the music. The man looked at each of them in turn before giving a rather dignified nod. "Welcome to the Austro-Hungarian settlement," he said simply, never smiling. There was something in his tone of voice, in the way he would occasionally look at Feliciano, that made the Italian feel strangely inferior, or more strongly, that he was doing something wrong. He tried not to fidget.

"Thank you," Ludwig said, sober and playing their spokesman. "We appreciate your allowing our entry here."

The man nodded, as if he'd done them a favor. Beside him the woman gave a much more welcoming smile, and Feliciano decided that despite their first meeting, he liked her quite a bit. Part of him sort of wanted to flirt with her (how long had it been since he'd gotten to flirt with a pretty girl?), but another part of him more just wanted to be friends.

"As long as you're not here to cause trouble, you're welcome. We always like to hear what news travelers have to bring, and if you have things to trade we're happy to do business with you." She shook her head, an exasperated look crossing her features. "We get our fair share of troublemakers who try to freeload off of us, but hopefully we won't see _him_ around here for a while!"

Feliciano wondered who this 'him' could be, even more so when he saw a momentary scowl flash across Ludwig's face.

"My name is Roderich," the man at the piano said, nodding his head before holding his hand out to indicate the woman. "This is Elizabeta." She smiled at them all. "We are the Clan Representatives of Clan Austria and Clan Hungary, respectively."

Ludwig and Kiku stood, causing Feliciano to scramble to do the same. "I am Ludwig of Clan Germany, and these are my companions, Honda Kiku of Clan Japan, and Feliciano Vargas, of Clan Italy." Kiku bowed while Feliciano gave a simple wave, the trio taking their seats again a moment later.

"Clan Germany...?" Elizabeta asked, eying Ludwig as if he was suddenly someone she didn't like. Ludwig held her gaze.

"Yes, I am the younger brother of our first Representative." Elizabeta narrowed her eyes further.

"... Gilbert's little brother..." She said at length, and Roderich arched his brows, staring at Ludwig as if revising his opinion of the man. The blond didn't flinch, back straight and posture proud.

"Yes." He answered succinctly, and Feliciano was actually rather surprised to see the almost sad smile that crossed the Hungarian Representative's face. How she could go from such a steely and suspicious one to a look that seemed sadly fond was sort of baffling.

"He spoke a lot about you," she said at last, shaking her head. "Probably the only time he wasn't completely annoying."

If it'd been Feliciano, he probably would have wanted to ask about what'd been said. If he'd found out Lovino had been visiting other people and talking about him, he'd be extremely curious to find out all about it. But, other than leaning forward in his chair a little, Ludwig didn't ask anything at all. The muscles of his jaw worked a little before he sat back. Something in his eyes made Feliciano frown. He was always trying so hard to get both of his allies to open up a bit more, and the way Ludwig looked right now reminded the Italian a _lot_ of how he'd been when they first met. Stoic, reserved, and a bit intimidating. Honestly, was it too difficult to loosen up a bit? Feliciano's eye was drawn by Kiku, a subtle look sent his way that seemed to urge the Italian that now wasn't the time for any meddling.

The Italian looked down at his hands, feeling a bit sad. He wouldn't have made a scene right now, even without that look. It would have probably just made Ludwig close up even more.

"We were hoping to resupply for The Journey, and perhaps obtain firearms if possible..." Ludwig passed over the talk of family, returning instead to the 'safe' topic of their business here. Elizabeta seemed to deflate as much as Feliciano did, and the two shared a bit of a look. The Italian really was starting to get a sense that he could become close to the Hungarian woman. As tough as she could be, the more time they spent down here, the kinder he thought she was on the inside. The mention of the Journey only seemed to bring down the woman's mood further, reminding Feliciano that he _really_ needed to ask for more details on the Journey. Or... maybe he should finish reading the materials his Clan sent with him.

"We are willing to trade with you, and the guards have told us about the 'dog' carcasses you've brought to trade with you. Taking that into account, however..." Roderich offered them a smile that really only stretched his lips. "I'm afraid we won't be able to offer you much. Supplies, yes... but if you wish for weapons, you'll need to offer more than that."

Considering that none of them were carrying anything frivolous or extra, this sounded like a bad thing to Feliciano. What... what else could they offer? Roderich seemed to have something in mind, however, for he continued after only a short pause.

"If you're willing to do some work here for a short while, we could accept that as payment. Though, if you're on The Journey, well... time is not your ally against your competition." There was just something about that feigned indifference Roderich spoke with that continued to keep Feliciano on edge. Yet not in the same way that, say, those mutant clanless or Alfred when he was an enemy did. It finally hit the Italian that he was feeling exactly as he'd felt as a kid, when his own Clan Elder had scolded and reprimanded him and always been able to find some mistake in what he'd done. But just like the Elder... Roderich didn't seem like a mean person. Just... just he had to act that way... or, something.

"If we rush ahead unprepared... it will only work against us." Kiku looked at his allies, and they nodded at his words.

"We'll stay here and work, as hard as you'd like," Ludwig continued for the Japanese man. All business in his tone. "Whether it be hard labor... help fixing machines or..." Blue eyes flicked to Feliciano for a moment. The Italian tilted his head to the side, wondering why everyone was looking at him. Was he supposed to say something here? Had they asked him a question and he'd missed it? Unfortunately, he couldn't quite figure out what was expected here, but thankfully Elizabeta seemed to know.

"Do you think you could help with some cleaning and small errands, Feliciano...?" He grinned and nodded immediately. Hard labor, heavy lifting, fixing machines... those weren't really things he was suited for. But he'd done a lot of cleaning at home, and he liked going about, meeting new people and helping in small ways.

"Yep! I can do that!" The Austrian and Hungarian Representatives looked at each other and nodded their heads.

"Very well then... while you are here your meals will be provided. Ludwig and, Honda, was it? You two will report in with Rainer, our head of Maintenance and Engineering. If he doesn't need you, he'll send you to Clemenz, head of our building committee. As for you Feliciano..." The Austrian gave a small sigh through his nose, shaking his head a little. "Report here to Elizabeta, or to me if she's busy." Roderich took a few moments to explain where Kiku and Ludwig would find Rainer, before the leaders of the settlement let them know that it was getting a bit late, and they had other business to attend to. They both assured the trio that if they had questions, to feel free to seek them out to ask.

Elizabeta decided to show them out personally, and while some of the trip out of the Sanctuary she chatted happily next to Feliciano, it was pretty obvious she wanted to talk to Ludwig. If Ludwig noticed (and Feliciano guessed he did, because Ludwig and Kiku noticed _everything_), he was ignoring her. When they'd come to the door of their lodgings the Hungarian woman had been forced to reach out and grab his arm to stop him.

"Ludwig... you don't have to do this, you know. None of you do..." The German man stiffened before letting out a weary sigh.

"Are you asking me to stop The Journey?" His words were meant to be cold, but they betrayed the fact that he wasn't actually angry at her. She nodded.

"Yes... look, I don't exactly get along with your brother... but from all he's ever said about you... I know he'd be... if you complete The Journey..." Ludwig shook his head, giving an awkward attempt at a smile to the Hungarian woman.

"Thank you... for being one of the few people who... would look out for my brother's feelings..." Elizabeta's cheeks went pink, and she looked just as embarrassed to hear what Ludwig was saying as Ludwig looked to be saying it. The German cleared his throat and pushed on. "However, I have met with Gilbert recently... and we have... discussed this. I _will_ be completing The Journey."

Her lips drew into a tight line, but Elizabeta simply nodded, bidding them all a good night before leaving them. Suddenly the heavenly bed that Feliciano had been dying to dive into earlier didn't seem quite so wonderful. The three of them tried to find ways to be comfortable in the room, occupy themselves until it was late enough to sleep properly. Feliciano didn't like this... didn't like having their group all unhappy like this. But... rather than try to cheer everyone up... he guessed it was time to ask the question that'd been on his mind all this while.

"Um... ve..." He sat cross legged on his bed, hands holding to his ankles as he rocked slightly. He opened his eyes, full and oddly sober for him, and looked at each of his companions. Ludwig, sitting on the bed with his legs at right angles and his back straight. Kiku, back equally straight as he sat with his knees tucked below him on the floor, cleaning and polishing his blade. They both seemed a bit curious at the Italian's sudden seriousness. Feliciano took a deep breath. "Is... is there something... bad... about The Journey? B-Because brother didn't want me to keep doing it... and... Matthew seemed like... he thought something bad could happen to us... and Miss Elizabeta..." He cut off his rambling, looking at his allies and hoping he'd be told he'd jumped to the wrong conclusions.

Kiku and Ludwig shared a look, as if silently discussing who would be the one to handle this topic. In the end Kiku set his blade down very carefully, fixing his neutral dark gaze on Feliciano. "I would advise you... read the information your Clan sent you again... read it _all_... every detail. Feliciano-kun... the Representatives who successfully complete The Journey... the ones who succeed and secure the resources and guarantee a life on the surface for their Clan... those Representatives will die."

* * *

**A/N:**

Wow... ok. So I'd honestly intended for Austria and Hungary to be the last Nations making an appearance/cameo in this fic... and then I write the first paragraph and immediately go 'Sweden'. That, of course, sort of drags in Finland, too. Then of course I'm like 'The Nordic 5... ugh, that fits in with my acceptable Journey numbers...' Blah blah to make a long story short, even after I thought I had this officially all planned out, new things jump up and hit me. So yeah, expect to see or hear about those five next chapter.

We'll be in the settlement for a few chapters, in case anyone is wondering. This Journey... starting to seem like it's a bad thing, eh?

I say this every time, and I mean it darn it all! Thanks SO much to all my reviewers. Love you guys/gals!


	16. Chapter 16

**Naming Notes:**

As far as I am aware (and there is a giant chance of my being wrong), these three don't have official human names yet. Also, from what I understand, these have been blogged by our dear Hetalia creator as possibilities. So, yeah, here you go:

Denmark = Mikkel  
Norway = Lukas  
Iceland = Emil

* * *

He didn't start panicking right away, didn't immediately scream or shout or demand '_WHAT?'_. No, at first Feliciano just _stared_ at Kiku, his eyes flicking to Ludwig after a few seconds. It wasn't as though he were looking to see if this was some sort of joke. He knew his allies, knew that _this_ was not something either one of them would make jokes about. There was no immediate shrieking or wailing by the Italian, no overblown dramatics or anything of the sort. Quite possibly, that was what was expected of him; to begin to overreact dramatically and throw a gigantic 'fit' over the entire matter. That didn't happen, nor did he begin to laugh it away. No joke, remember?

Feliciano wasn't frozen in place by the proclamation, but he most certainly was _not_ taking the news well. Why in the world should he? His hands started to wring together, fingers feeling prickly and cold while his palms felt clammy and hot. His throat felt horrendously parched yet thick with mucus at the same time, making him feel the need to swallow down a lump his neck refused to work through. He licked his lips, once, simple and slow and allowing his teeth to pinch his tongue just slightly as it slid back in. His heartbeat felt heavy, and his ears were ringing.

"...o-oh..." He managed to squeak out at last, feeling jittery yet rooted in place at the same time. In a bit of a daze he let his eyes linger over to his traveling pack... that pack that'd been set up for him by his Clan prior to his departure. The betrayal stung distantly, bitterly, leaving an echo of questions drifting through his mind. The thought of reaching for his pack seemed impossible, the act of reading through the materials sent with him monumental. He knew it was a case of dread, but right now the Italian didn't think he'd be able to accomplish either task right now no matter how hard he tried. But he wouldn't try right now... because he didn't _want_ to. That much he _knew_.

"Feliciano," Ludwig said slowly, heavily, and something in the consoling way he said it made the Italian flinch. His heart that'd felt so heavy suddenly sped up in exponential bounds, his lips parting and eyes widening. He looked between his allies, hysterically seeing dead men rather than the strong young men who traveled at his side. Men he'd come to call friends. Men he wanted to spend more time with after The Journey was all over. Men he'd promised to make pasta for some day. He felt no betrayal from them, it had never been _their_ responsibility to school him on his mission.

It suddenly felt like they'd just died, that even though they hadn't finished The Journey yet he'd just lost his two best friends. His stomach twisted, his chest feeling so very tight that the panting breaths he made barely seemed to register. So shallow his breathing, and now his eyes felt like they were burning.

"Feliciano," Ludwig began again, rising from his bed and coming to sit next to the Italian. Feliciano's fingers wound more tightly around each other, the young man not realizing how loosely he was holding to any semblance of calm. The German sat next to him, lips drawn tight and a vexed frown on his face, as though he seemed as though he was waiting for Feliciano to do something. What was there to do though? Even if Feliciano were to lunge forward, wrap the German up in a great big tight hug and bawl his eyes out... what would that change? Even if he clung onto the blond for all he was worth, how would that give them any more time to be together. Ludwig and Kiku... they were going to be ripped from him when this was all over. _Everything_ was going to be ripped from him.

Coughing and seeming more awkward at Feliciano's reserved reaction, Ludwig smoothed a hand over his hair. He looked hesitantly to the Japanese Representative, but Kiku hadn't moved from his place on the floor. He'd folded his hands in his lap, now bowing his head with his eyes closed, as if he too was mourning the certain end. It was all going to end in death no matter what, Feliciano realized. They could win and... apparently... die. Or, or they could fall to the others competing with them on The Journey, get killed that way. _'Everyone knows... and they do this anyway...?'_ Or perhaps there were some out there, fooled or tricked. Or... like Feliciano... too stupid to pay attention to something so important.

"I..." Ludwig seemed hesitant, his words stumbling out in uneven rhythm. "Before I'd met the two of you," he finally managed out at last, his voice strengthening slowly into that commanding baritone of his. "I'd made a decision. It seemed only logical at the time, and practical. It was never my intention to tell you two early... and when I... came to realize you may not have fully come to understand The Journey, I resolved not to mention it at all. I... didn't wish to upset you."

If possible, the pain in Feliciano's chest grew more intense, a heavy fist crushing it with unforgiving fingers. The Italian didn't look away from Ludwig, but from the corner of his eye he saw Kiku raise his head, eyes opening and an almost alarmed frown crossing his typically schooled features. The Japanese man seemed to know where this was going and, in a rare moment of clarity and understanding, Feliciano could read the atmosphere. He could tell as well.

"This decision has become easier to my mind, now that we... now that I..." The German scowled at his inability to say the next words easily, face going red as he pushed on. "Now that I have come to see you both as such good friends," he rushed out, almost shouting it in his attempt to say such sentiments. It sounded more like a declaration or war than of friendship. "Now I know... I know. I can die without reservation, if it will let you two survive. Feliciano... Kiku... I have every intention of being the only sacrifice... I will be the only one to pay the price at the end of The Journey."

Kiku rose to his feet, a slow controlled movement that failed to hide his fury. His cheeks were red with emotion, dark eyes glittering with anger. He closed his hands into fists, nostrils flaring as he took in a deep breath. "Ludwig-san, this is unacceptable." The dark haired man shook his head, bristling with wounded pride and tarnished honor. "Whether it is possible or not is irrelevant. This is not your choice to make." Kiku was silent for a moment, pushing away the actual hurt that'd infected his voice. "Perhaps you say this to comfort him, but if you consider us as friends..."

Feliciano didn't know why Kiku suddenly trailed off, why the man started to look at him with such a pained expression. Ludwig reached out to him, gripping his shoulder and the Italian just couldn't understand why. What, how did he suddenly become the center of attention again?

The sudden wetness that tickled the corner of his mouth startled him, made him dab at it tentatively with his tongue. The salty taste jogged his mind, and slowly he lifted his hands up, feeling the wetness trailing down his cheeks, tracing it up to eyes filling with his unhappiness. Oh... oh he'd begun to cry after all. He scrubbed at his eyes with the heels of his palms, pushing away at the tears and telling himself that this was why Ludwig would think he had to secretly make sacrifices for him. This was why he wasn't trusted to know anything or do anything or save anyone or figure anything out. A whole torrent of self-esteem issues bubbled through his mind right now, and all Feliciano could do was sniff and smile and make his shaky way to his feet.

"V...Ve... I... oops... umm... sorry..." Ludwig tried to rise from the bed, reaching for him, and Feliciano skittered back and away. When even Kiku seemed inclined to move to his side, Feliciano backed much more swiftly towards the door. He fumbled with the knob, his hands apparently useless as the rest of him, his eyes blurred up with tears. "I'm going to go wash up!" He forced out before they could say anything else, and he fled the room.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

He was pretty certain they'd misunderstood him, when he'd asked the guards if there was someplace he could go to wash his face. They'd referred him back to the shower facilities, which were much more than he needed right now. He'd only wanted to wash his face, get something cool on it to do away with the redness and swelling. Still, with no other direction to take, he'd wandered into the great opened up Sanctuary, descending halls dark and deserted back to where he'd had such a fun and happy moment earlier. It was sort of lonely, walking Sanctuary halls like this. He wasn't sure how many people lived in the Sanctuary versus the top side settlement, but he guessed at this time of night most were asleep or preparing for it. Feliciano didn't know if he'd be sleeping tonight.

Amazingly enough he found his way back towards the showers with ease, just about to enter when someone walked out from the door on the opposite side of the hall. It was the women's side, and exiting was Elizabeta. She wore a simple nightgown, drying at her hair with a towel as she walked. She gave a startled little gasp at seeing someone else, eyes blinking in rapid recognition before a concerned look fell over her face. Feliciano shied back... could she tell he'd been crying? The motherly expression that seemed to cross he face said yes.

"Feliciano...?" She asked, letting the towel fall to rest on her shoulders as she approached him. It looked like she wanted to hold out her arms, give him a hug, but neither of them knew each other quite well enough for that. Well, alright, Feliciano was prone to hugging strangers, but the Hungarian Representative was more cautious than that. She tilted her head to the side, wet brown hair pooling on her shoulders. She looked left and right briefly before stepping a bit closer. "Are you here all alone? Is everything alright?"

He stared at her miserably, knowing full well he should just suck it up and keep his problems to himself, while alternately wanting someone he could lament and confide in. Besides... she was a Representative, too. She'd told Ludwig that they didn't need to do the Journey, that it'd make his brother sad. The realization that Lovino _must know_ what was at the end of the Journey nearly sent Feliciano off his feet, missing his brother just that much more. He'd come to save his life... he really had. But he shoved that away, because he couldn't handle knowing Lovino was up here braving the surface and risking his life for him. It made the tears prickle up all over again.

So he tried to focus on the fact that Elizabeta knew, she had to know, what was at the end of The Journey. He bit his lip, not enough to bleed, but enough to steel his nerves. "I didn't know," he whispered out, shaking his head, and feeling his lip tremble. "I didn't know that at the end we... we're going to..."

Melting at the sight of the distressed Italian, Elizabeta closed the gap between them, wrapping her arms tightly around Feliciano and allowing him to cry. He clung to her, balling his fists in her nightgown while she made gentle soothing sounds and pet his hair. He needed to get this out, needed an outlet for his fear and betrayal and hurt over the fate of his friends... but he hadn't been able to do it. He hadn't been able to burden Ludwig especially any further. He cried and in his mind he prayed and asked God why The Journey would end like this. It didn't seem fair, it seemed inordinately cruel. Why did they have to die?

When he'd cried enough to feel calm, or rather too tired to cry further, he felt the arms around him relax. Elizabeta took a step away from him, removing the towel from her shoulders to dab at his eyes, as if he were a little child. He offered her a weak smile which she returned warmly. Grabbing his hand, she brought him into the girl's side of the showers, leading him to a sink and letting him splash some cool water on his face at last. She gave him time to compose himself before she gestured for him to join her on a small bench. She held his hand again, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"You _don't_ have to continue on The Journey Feli," she said, shortening his name affectionately. "It... it won't be easy, and there's no guarantee for us like there would be for those completing The Journey, but there are other ways. We're managing here... I'm sure Clan Italy would be able to make it."

"... Ve... but... that won't stop Ludwig or Kiku from going... if I... choose not to..." Elizabeta closed her eyes for a moment, head dropping just slightly.

"I... don't want Ludwig to complete the Journey either," she said softly, and Feliciano cocked his head to the side.

"Be... because of his brother? Because that'd make him sad?" An aggravated smile hit her lips, and unwillingly she nodded. There was more to the story for sure, but Feliciano wouldn't pry. The woman looked away, remembering days gone by, worrying about things to come.

"There are some of us who had no choice but to come to the surface... for one reason or another." She looked back at Feliciano at last, face sobered up again. "Some were cast out by their Clan, tossed to the surface. Some purposely fled their Clans, trying to find their own way of life. Others, like Clan Austria, suffered from disasters, the earth still dangerous and unsettled. Their life support systems were ruined to the point where remaining sealed below the surface until the appointed day would have killed them. The damage couldn't be repaired fast enough. They _had_ to move to the surface for a while at least, and my Clan came to their assistance."

She gave him a little smile, shoulders squaring with a bit of pride. "The point is, Feli... we've been surviving. People... even before the day outlined in the past, even before it was supposedly safe again, people have been up here and surviving. It can be done... and it can be done _without_ following the rules of The Journey. It can."

Feliciano nodded his head, and she turned and gathered both of his hands up into hers. She looked him square in the eye, and Feliciano tried to hold that gaze. "No matter what Ludwig or Kiku decide... _you_ have to decide if you're going to complete The Journey. _You_ have to decide what's best for you _and_ your Clan. You may not be the Elder, but you _are_ the Representative. You have a voice." She helped him to his feet and walked with him out to the hall and all the way up to the open Sanctuary doors. The night was quiet and the dirty clouds had parted enough to revel a few sickly stars. "Take some time and really look at our settlement, decide on your own if this is an acceptable path for your Clan. Your friends will walk the path they've chosen, make sure you've made your own choices as well."

The Italian nodded and she gave him a little pat on the head goodnight before she turned and headed back into the Sanctuary proper.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

She had probably meant for him to take a look around in the morning, but sleep was the furthest thing from his mind right now. So, choosing not to return to the provided room, he began to wander the paths and 'streets' of the settlement, mostly dark save for small lights hung about here and there. He was supposed to run errands tomorrow anyway. Even if he... even if he chose not to keep up on The Journey, he'd do this last bit of help for his allies. He'd work hard for them for certain. For now though, for now he strolled at leisure, squinting at the makeshift homes and buildings, noticing how while some seemed crude others seemed like they'd been made pretty well.

It was like watching progress, watching them learn how to build successfully with what they had available. Scrap piles and abandoned projects served as a testament that everything wasn't perfect and smooth sailing, but they were managing along. It was alright for now, it seemed to mostly keep out marauding clanless (the bad ones, he supposed he should clarify). Would it be enough, though, if another disaster hit? Their Sanctuary was in ruins... and this settlement... it'd be destroyed for certain. It really wasn't guaranteed, not perfectly safe. It wouldn't make his Clan happy, that was for certain.

The sound of a small dog barking jolted him out of his thoughts, and he flinched when he saw a grubby little pup scamper up to him from under a pile of trash. At least this seemed to be a proper little dog, dirty yes, but normal small sized and fluffy. It had to have been Sanctuary bred, and well taken care of too by the looks of it. It yipped at him some more, and after making sure it had no desire to eat him, Feliciano squatted down, reaching out to give it a pat. "Ve~... who are you? Where'd you come from?" The pup yipped at him again, sniffing at his fingers. Feliciano smiled and let out a tiny chuckle at the ticklish and wet feel of the nose.

"Hanatamago... Hanatamago where are you?" The dog perked up at the shouting, while Feliciano simply puzzled over the bizarre name (maybe?) that'd been called out. The puppy wiggled in place, yipping in response, and a very strange set of footsteps approached from around a building. There was a slight young man, blond haired with what seemed like violet eyes, heading towards them with the help of a crutch. He seemed worn out, who wouldn't be wandering about with the help of a crutch with a full leg cast on, but also relieved to find his puppy. He paused to take a breath and adjust the white cap on his head before hobbling closer. "There you are! Where did you run off to?"

The pup scampered over, and Feliciano watched as the young man struggled as he attempted to lean down enough to pick up the dog. The Italian could see it was a lost cause and quickly rushed over, scooping up the puppy with a smile, which the other returned to him.

"Ve... I could carry him home for you, if you'd like?" The Italian could surely use the distraction. The blond beamed at him gratefully, turning slightly to lead the way.

"Thanks so much! I don't know why Hanatamago ran off like that, Mikkel was being pretty loud... maybe it scared her off..." The blond shook his head, careful not to fall on his crutches and perked up further. "My name is Tino, by the way. And you are?"

"Ah, Feliciano," he said, ruffling the fur of the pup in his arms. "I'm from Clan Italy..." he said without thinking, and much to his relief Tino didn't suddenly clam up or attack him. Would have been tough on the crutches. Instead Tino just seemed to offer him a knowing smile, one that seemed not as bright as his others, a bit fretful.

"Oh... does that mean you're on The Journey then?" Feliciano nodded. "Ah... so am I... or well... I was..." He cast a rather chagrined look down at his leg. "Ran into a bit of trouble though..."

"Ve..." the Italian breathed, nodding in sympathy and remembering his own wounds. Tino was lucky he was able to find medical assistance, too. Feliciano was about to ask more about that when the door to a house with its lights on just down the way slammed open. A _very_ tall blond came marching towards them, long metal staff in hand, and the look on his face made Feliciano want to scream. Why in the world were tall blonds (especially ones with glasses or carrying lengths of metal) so terrifying! He shrank back as the man marched right up to them, face super scary and intimidating. Even Tino looked flustered, yet he also seemed resigned. Like he dealt with this all the time.

"Wh're w're y'?" The man grunted out at last, fixing his eyes on Tino who gave only a tiny shiver before smiling more comfortably. He gestured to the dog in the cowering Feliciano's arms, the dog which yipped happily.

"Hanatamago ran off, and I didn't want to bother you," the smaller blond tried to shoot Feliciano a comforting glance, but the Italian was decidedly terrified of the scary man.

"'s n't s'fe..." The man muttered out, in some weird expression of concern. Tino sighed, giving a long suffering little laugh before shaking his head.

"It's fine, really. And Feliciano here was really helpful, so it's ok." Tino looked back and forth between the two of them, before nodding his head towards the terrifying giant. "This is Berwald," he said by way of introduction. The man didn't nod, didn't wave, didn't do anything but stare intensely at the Italian. Feliciano thought he'd pass out of fright, but at last the man at least shifted his body.

"T'nks... f'r h'lpin' m' w'fe."

Feliciano grinned nervously. "Ve... no problem... eh... wife?"

Tino seemed to stiffen, sending a reproachful and exasperated glance at Berwald. "I'm not your wife!"

Berwald ignored the comment, reaching out to take the puppy from Feliciano. "C'me ins'de..." He said (asked?), and the Italian couldn't really see a way to safely turn down this hospitality. Tino smiled, shrugging a shoulder.

"I have some salmiakki , if you'd like some," he said pleasantly, as they made their way in.

The first thing Feliciano noticed was that this was one of the really well constructed houses. Then he noticed all the furniture and tools, and realized that many things were carved and crafted here for use in the rest of the settlement. Berwald immediately went to a work bench and continued work on cabinet after placing the puppy down, and Feliciano marveled at the quietly skilled way he worked. It was much less scary, seeing him absorbed in a task like that. It made him seem a bit like Ludwig when the German was serious about something.

"Hey, Tino, is that you?" A loud voice shouted from another room, making Feliciano and Tino wince and Berwald glare towards the source for a moment. There was a bit of commotion in the other room, and the Italian heard an aggravated voice chiding the speaker.

"Tino could have been half way across the settlement and he would have heard you," the voice complained, but the shouter apparently missed the jibe.

"Hell yeah! I knew he'd be able to hear me!" The door opened and Feliciano saw a blond with a cross hair clip step through. He left the door open behind him, and Feliciano could see a rather tall and excitable looking blond waving from the bed. He had bandages all over, and judging from how energetic he was, Feliciano had to assume he was injured. He seemed like the sort to be up and about otherwise.

"Hey, Lukas, we have a guest! Bring him in here so I can meet him. Hello!" Feliciano waved back, watching the heavily annoyed look 'Lukas' shot over his shoulder, apparently aggravated to be dealing with the one on the bed. Feliciano couldn't help but notice the hair curl Lukas had, so much like his own... and yet... and yet... was it... floating next to his head?

Another blond poked his head around the door, looking serious even if his very pale hair looked messy and bed-headed. He seemed to survey the scene, before shrugging and popping out of sight in the room again. Feliciano hovered awkwardly and Tino gave a tiny laugh. "Have a seat anywhere you'd like. You can meet Mikkel, Lukas and Emil in a moment." Feliciano nodded his head and did as he was told, realizing he was definitely in the midst of a rival alliance in The Journey.

* * *

**A/N:**

Who knew that you all would get so excited about the Nordics? Well, hope I did them justice. I've never written them before (unless you count a very tiny snippet of Berwald once!). They'll be in the next chapter a bit as well, so if I really botched them DO let me know so I can... correct them before moving on. lol

Egads, if I had all the time in the world I'd write Gilbert and Elizabeta's side story for this. If enough people really wanna read it, I _might_ consider slating it in as a future project (then again, I might slate it anyway). Heaven knows it'd be shorter than this beast of a fic.


	17. Chapter 17

Feliciano smiled politely where he sat, trying very much not to look too awkward. It wasn't really a case of being afraid of a rival group or anything, though a little fear was honestly there. Berwald was just plain intimidating, no matter how often Tino would look over to assure Feliciano the man was actually pretty nice. What made everything a bit awkward was much simpler really, and perhaps in another situation it may have been somewhat comical even. The Italian shifted slightly on the very comfortable chair he'd been offered, glad to be a bit out of the way.

Mikkel, apparently, refused to remain in his bed in the other room when there was a guest here. The man had started, well, not really _yelling_ at Lukas to help him out of bed... but more just sort of... telling him to. Very loudly. He seemed extremely excited at the prospect of getting out of bed, and Feliciano maybe thought he'd been turned into the man's excuse. The look Lukas had shot him almost seemed like he was blaming Feliciano for the cumbersome task of helping the injured man out to the common room.

Lukas really did seem to be struggling to get Mikkel out here. Not only was the injured man bigger than him, but he kept moving about and trying to stand and walk on his own, and in the end it just seemed to be making things worse. "You just can't stay still can you?" Lukas muttered, and Mikkel tossed him a great big smile.

"Of course not, I'm not that kind of guy!" Lukas rolled his eyes slightly and kept trying to support Mikkel out. Feliciano bit his lip, wondering if he should offer to help. Tino _couldn't_ of course... and Berwald seemed as if he preferred to keep his distance from Mikkel for the most part. But... Emil wasn't doing anything. He was in the room with Lukas and Mikkel, watching the Norwegian representative struggle... but he hadn't made any moves to help. Feliciano continued to watch the Icelandic representative, wondering if it was some sort of etiquette not to assist with something like this?

"What?" Emil asked bluntly, having caught the Italian watching him. He didn't seem mad, judging from his face, but his tone of voice was just a tad abrasive. "Do you think I should be doing something?"

"N-No!" Feliciano quickly dropped his gaze to his lap, staring down at the small black diamonds in his hands. His eyes flicked guiltily over to Tino, seated in a chair nearby. The man smiled in a friendly sort of way, and Feliciano smiled back before looking down again. This... this was another awkward issue. He'd been given some salmiakki... and after taking a small sniff of one, and dabbing it on his tongue, he'd been desperately trying to find some way to make them disappear without eating them. He'd thought maybe he could feed them to Hanatamago... but the pup was all too happy to sit in Tino's lap right now.

"Ok!" The sudden, and very loud, arrival of Mikkel in the seat across from him nearly had Feliciano leaping for the ceiling. As it was, he was honestly startled enough that the salmiakki fell from his hands to the floor. On one hand he was happy to be saved... but he hadn't wanted to just _waste_ them. They _could_ still be eaten perhaps... the floor looked clean... but he hadn't wanted to eat them _before_ they'd fallen to the ground. The salmiakki seemed even less appetizing now. He dropped to the floor, scooping them up and shooting Tino an apologetic glance.

"Ve... I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to..." Tino just waved it off, leaning forward a bit.

"It's ok, don't worry about it..." Berwald actually came over, strangely attentive to Tino's needs, and took the fallen salmiakki from Feliciano's hands. Tino thanked the Swedish man, before turning an understanding smile to Feliciano with a little shrug. "Not everyone enjoys it, it's ok."

Feeling a bit embarrassed, the Italian just nodded and slid back up into his seat. Mikkel was laughing away, good natured yes, but sort of loud. "A bit clumsy are ya?"

"Ve... I suppose so..." It was probably better to be viewed as clumsy rather than cowardly. Mikkel just nodded away, before moving on to reintroduce everybody. It seemed as if he was the leader of this group... or maybe... the self appointed leader? The Italian couldn't quite figure it out, the dynamics of this group, but at least so far as the Representative of Clan Denmark was concerned... he was top dog. Even while injured.

"Oh! And there's something special about Lukas and Emil!" This statement seemed to have quite an effect on the group of blonds, most starting to grin in some manner (even Berwald's lips quirked up a bit), though Emil just looked flustered and a little red in the cheeks. "It's so cute... hey Emil... you've gotta say it. Do it in front of our guest."

Even Lukas seemed sort of in on whatever this inside joke was, leaning towards the Icelandic youth, face expectant. Emil crossed his arms, looking away like an embarrassed teen. "Stop that..." he muttered, even the tips of his ears red beneath his messy pale hair.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Tino added, friendly yet just as insistent as the others.

"'s good t' appreciate y'r family..." Berwald added.

Emil shook his head, locking his eyes on Feliciano as if he'd suddenly found a way out of saying _whatever_ they all seemed to want him to say. "We shouldn't be talking about that in front of an outsider anyway."

Utterly confused, Feliciano cocked his head to the side. "About what?"

Mikkel pointed between Lukas and Emil. "About how little Emil there is Lukas's younger brother!

Emil shot Mikkel a look that could kill... not that the man seemed to notice. Then he looked back at Feliciano, something rather determined in his eyes. "He's lying... of course we're not brothers, that'd be i-impossible... we're from different Clans."

"I'm hurt..." Lukas deadpanned, and Emil looked flushed again, as if worried he'd really upset the other man. The Italian smiled and gave a little shrug.

"Ve... it's not a big deal if you're brothers from different Clans. I met another set of brothers like that, so maybe it happens more than most of us were raised to believe?" This seemed to surprise quite a few people in the room.

"Seriously?" Mikkel asked. Something almost calculating passed behind his energetic eyes. "Who?"

Feliciano shrunk back a little, only _now_ realizing it might not be his place to say. It seemed pretty complicated, whatever had happened in Matthew and Alfred's past. "Umm..." He stalled, worried that he'd be unable to think up an excuse not to say. Tino cleared his throat, stepping in for him.

"Feliciano is on The Journey... so he might not be able to say. We shouldn't press him." The Italian shot the Finnish man a very grateful look.

"You? On the Journey? Can't be alone, you're way too small for that! Who're you allied with?" Mikkel probably hadn't meant that as an insult, so Feliciano tried not to take it as such. Fidgeting a bit, he looked at the floor as he answered.

"I'm allied with Clans Germany and Japan..." It was the truth, still. He'd yet to make any decision about whether or not he'd stop The Journey, which would effectively end his membership in the alliance. The Representative of Denmark gave a low hum in his throat before shaking his head.

"Well, it can't be _them_... no way are those two Clans related!" Lukas just sighed, annoyed.

"Stop trying to figure it out, you'll hurt yourself." Mikkel gave him a funny smile in return before shrugging.

"So, you've run into a lot of Clans then, huh? Lots of adventure on The Journey, no doubt about that." He gestured to his bandaged body and to Tino's cast covered leg. "Soon as we all heal up, we'll be back out there, too! You better watch out!"

Feliciano paled at the thought of facing these five as enemies, and Tino leaned over to pat his arm. "I'm sure you'll be far ahead of us before I can walk on my own again."

"Hey Tino, don't talk like that! You make it sound like we're gonna lose like that! I'll carry you if I have to!" Mikkel's words seem to provoke Berwald a bit, the Swedish man standing behind Tino's chair and putting a protective hand on his shoulder.

"We're n't doin' anything that c'ld harm m' w'fe..." He declared. Mikkel grinned a competitive grin.

"What, don't think you're strong enough to carry him? Because _I_ could, no problem!" Berwald leaned farther forward over the chair.

"I won't let 'im be hurt." The Italian blinked. Something in the Swedish man's tone... something in what he'd said... made Feliciano question if Berwald wanted Tino to complete The Journey at all. If Berwald knew what was at the end of The Journey... and was honest in his desire to protect Tino... then surely he wouldn't let the man continue on? The way that Berwald seemed to have integrated into life here in the settlement, building furniture and such, almost seemed like the man wished to remain here permanently.

_'Or... he's come up with some sort of plan like Ludwig did... so Tino won't have to die...'_ Thinking about the German, Feliciano realized he should really get back. He hadn't made a choice yet... but he was probably worrying them with his absence.

"Look... let's worry about that l-later... ok?" Obviously worried to be stuck in the middle of this, Tino was trying to diffuse the situation. He sighed and looked over at Feliciano, noticing perhaps the bit of melancholy that'd fallen over him again. "Did you need to go...?"

Before Feliciano could answer, Mikkel cut in. "Not yet! You have to hear about the epic battle that stranded us here! Have you ever run up against the Clanless?" Without pause Mikkel launched into the story. It didn't sound like they'd run into Gilbert's group, but the group they had encountered sounded horrible! Not only did they have guns, but they rode upon these creatures that Mikkel described as 'gigantic wolverines with porcupine spikes and a bad attitude'. One of them had been the cause of Tino's leg injury, the creature catching him by the leg, mauling it and breaking it in several places.

If you listened to Mikkel's version, he sounded like he'd done all the fighting, everyone else's contributions to the fight marginalized, Berwalds significantly so. "That's why _I'm_ so injured, but in the end I won, and here we are now!"

Feliciano clapped a little at the end (it seemed appropriate and the tale really had been exciting). A knocking at the door made him pause rather than commenting, Berwald moving to open it up.

"Ah, excuse me... I'm sorry to bother you so late but I was wondering if perhaps..." Feliciano looked over, recognizing the voice. Barely visible around Berwald was Kiku, who seemed to spot Feliciano at the same time. "A-ah! Feliciano-kun, there you are!" The relief in Kiku's voice made the Italian feel so guilty, and he rushed to his feet, stammering out some hasty goodbyes. He really would have liked to ask each of them _why_ they were going on The Journey, sought out their perspectives, but he wasn't going to make Kiku wait. Besides, the final words Mikkel called after them as they left reminded the Italian that he couldn't treat those five as close confidants.

"See you on the battlefield!"

xoxoxoxoxoxox

"There is no reason to hang your head... Feliciano-kun."

Kiku's voice broke the quiet of the night as they headed back towards their provided room. Feliciano hadn't really realized he was walking like that, head down like a dog with its tail between its legs. He forced a little smile to his lips, a little spring to his step, even though he didn't feel it. The Japanese representative gave him a little smile and shook his head.

"You don't have to smile, not if you don't feel it."

The smile didn't completely fade from his face, but Feliciano nodded. They lapsed back into silence again, the mild ambient sounds of the settlement playing beneath the twin sounds of their steps. Most lights were out, people no doubt sleeping, preparing for yet another day of hard work, of defying the harsh environment the surface was now. Another day of living with two Representatives who'd decided to defy the system set in place. It wasn't as though there was anything technically stopping the Representatives from leaving the Austro-Hungarian settlement to go on The Journey now, was there? But Feliciano stopped that train of thought... because as tired as he was and as much as he didn't want to do it... he needed to really face his situation here. At the very least, Kiku and Ludwig deserved to know.

"Ah... Ludwig..." Was the German man out looking for him as well?

"He'll meet us back at the room soon. It was his idea we split up to search for you when... you took quite a while cleaning up." There was a mildly reproachful tone in Kiku's voice, but the Japanese man's eyes also conveyed a sense of sympathy. He understood Feliciano's feelings, he wasn't condemning his actions.

Feliciano swung his arms at his side slightly, feeling a tightness in one arm that might never go away, but overall focused on an entirely different feeling. He felt weightless on one hand, free and loose and the master of his own fate. Yet on the other he felt lost, adrift in a sea of sand, clutching at grains that wouldn't stick to his fingers. He knew what he _wanted_... he wanted to go home. He wanted to be back in the Sanctuary, with his brother and his Clan and his easy carefree life. He wanted to complete The Journey... he really wanted to not only give back to his Clan but to prove to them, in some measure, that he wasn't worthless. That he was strong and deserved to be their Representative for reasons beyond blood and Qualities.

But he wanted to live, too. He wanted to live and explore and see even more of the surface. It was scary and terrifying, dangerous and difficult... but it was also really fascinating when he had a chance to really see it. He was curious to know, also, if it would really start to heal. If plants and trees and flowers would really take root again, if the surface could begin to resemble the old pictures and paintings the Clan kept. There was so much of the future he wanted to see really, and while it'd feel good to help a bright future along... it stung to know that to do so would stop him from ever seeing it.

"I really... _really_... don't want you and Ludwig to die..." Feliciano admitted. He didn't look at Kiku, wasn't sure he wanted to see the other man's reaction. He let out a forlorn sigh, staring up at the sky instead. "But... you're going to complete the Journey no matter what, aren't you? Ve... you've known all along... so of course you wouldn't change your mind now."

As Kiku pondered his response, Feliciano stopped walking. They were very close to the room they'd been given now, but he wasn't exactly ready to go in just yet. The Japanese Representative paused in his walk as well, and Feliciano fixed him with a sober stare. "Will you tell me why? What makes you determined to complete The Journey?"

Nodding, Kiku began to speak. "When I was a very small child, I learned about the Representative, and The Journey. All members of Clan Japan learn of this, of course, but based upon the current date, the elders knew that someone in my generation would begin to show signs of having Qualities. It was very important that we all learn and understand how important the Representative was... and about how much of an honor it would be to become them. To be able to serve the Clan, the elders, in such a selfless manner. To be so devoted to the cause, this was encouraged within us all. To die serving Clan Japan was not something we were raised to fear, and I was honored and humbled when I learned that I was to be given the opportunity to do so."

Feliciano looked down to his feet, pondering this. It wasn't as though he didn't have Clan loyalty, it wasn't as though Clan Italy didn't have a bond that was tight and protective. But it almost seemed as if Kiku had been raised specifically for this... had grown up always considering that one day, he might die for his Clan.

"Though I have no reservations about completing The Journey," Kiku added softly, fetching back Feliciano's gaze. "That is not to say I have never felt scared... have never been afraid of what's to come. I am resolved, however. I will conquer that fear."

Disappointing as it was to accept that Kiku wouldn't be stopping The Journey, it was also a bit impressive. "Ve... I admire you..." He admitted softly, which even in the dark brought enough of a blush to Kiku's face for the Italian to see. It made him laugh a little, seeing determined Kiku unbalanced by kind words like that. Tilting his head towards their destination, Feliciano got them walking again. "I suppose we should get in, before Ludwig worries more."

Thinking about his friends, his allies in this quest, Feliciano made a tiny resolution. While they were staying here at the settlement, he'd really read over the materials sent with him very carefully. He'd... he'd do his best to really understand just _what_ was waiting for them at the end of The Journey. Then... and only then... would he decide if he'd continue on. But what he really wanted to do... despite the offense that Kiku had shown at Ludwig's mention of sacrifice, was find a way to save his allies. Unlike Ludwig, however, the Italian was determined to find a way that would leave no one dead. Perhaps he was being naive again, or perhaps he was simply determined to find a positive solution. Whatever the case, he knew that for any chance of success, he'd really have to start working very very hard.

* * *

**A/N:**

I continue to doubt myself with the Nordics, so you got more bad refs to the anime/manga. They do, however, make their exit from the fic this chapter (despite Denmark's parting words!). They won't even be coming back like the NA bros for the grand finale... so... bye guys! It was fun while it lasted.

Anyhow, thanks for reading! To those who review, many many thanks for your comments.


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